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Wisconsin Department of Health Services

If You Have Complaints about Wisconsin Health Care

Information about Division of Quality Assurance (DQA)

DQA Web Pages Information

Provider Types Regulated by DQA

DQA Listservs

Consumer Information

DQA Facility Directories

DQA Provider Training

DQA Numbered Memos

DHS Forms

Construction/
Remodeling of Health Care Facilities

WI Nurse Aide Training and Registry Info

Caregiver Program/ Background Checks

WI Adult Programs Caregiver Misconduct Registry

DQA Quarterly Information Update

July 2003

[PDF Version of this month's Quarterly Update (PDF, 87 KB) - blue text indicates links to other sections or to Internet pages]


Provider Directories on the Internet

We are pleased to announce the Internet posting of directories for Wisconsin nursing homes, facilities for people with developmental disabilities, home health and hospice agencies. As with the directories for assisted living facilities, these are provided in PDF and Excel format. The PDF documents are further provided in various sort orders (by facility name or by county/city) to aid viewers in locating individual providers.

All of the information for these directories comes from databases maintained by BQA staff. Most directories will be updated quarterly, although some of the assisted living directories are done monthly due to higher rates of changes.

We plan to post other provider types, such as hospitals, over the rest of the summer. We are taking the opportunity to go through and update individual records. We appreciate the efforts providers make to inform us of staff and office changes.

If you have any questions about the directories, please contact Todd McCall by phone (608) 267-3808 or E-mail mccaltw@dhfs.state.wi.us.

Licensed Wisconsin Nursing Homes: www.dhfs.state.wi.us/bqaconsumer/NursingHomes/NHindex.htm

Licensed Facilities for People with Developmental Disabilities: www.dhfs.state.wi.us/bqaconsumer/FDDs/FDDindex.htm

Wisconsin Health Care Providers (home health and hospice): www.dhfs.state.wi.us/bqaconsumer/HealthCare/directories.htm

Assisted Living Facilities (adult day care, adult family homes, CBRFs and Residential Care Apartment Complexes): www.dhfs.state.wi.us/bqaconsumer/AssistedLiving/AsLivPrvdr.htm


DHFS Web Site Changes

The Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) is completing a series of changes designed to make its website www.dhfs.state.wi.us more accessible and easier to use. One of the additions is a Topics A-Z listing designed to make it easier to find web pages. There is also a Telephone Hotline directory and a database-driven Directory of Department Services. For the latter, you can type in and submit the program name, term or phrase you are interested in and if there is a match, a staff name, phone number and E-mail address will be returned.

The DHFS Licensing page will soon be converted from its current structure to function as an introduction to the wisconsin.gov (exit DHFS) licensing information site with a focus on DHFS programs. Viewers seeking information on becoming licensed, certified, registered or authorized to operate BQA-regulated programs will be able to find the necessary web pages more easily. The Wisconsin Licensing pages contain links to the appropriate DHFS information pages. We suggest that all providers check out wisconsin.gov (exit DHFS) if they haven’t done so already.


BQA Numbered Memos Posted April-June 2003

Access all BQA memos via www.dhfs.state.wi.us/rl_DSL/Publications/ BQAnodMems.htm or from individual providers' publications pages via www.dhfs.state.wi.us/licensing.htm.

Memo

Title

Providers Affected

03-006

CMS Adopts Life Safety Code

Ambulatory Surgical Centers, End Stage Renal Dialysis, Facilities for People with Developmental Disabilities, Hospices, Hospitals, Nursing Homes

03-008

For All Facilities Performing Tests on Human Specimens: CLIA Requirements

Adult Family Homes, Adult Day Care, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Certified Mental Health & AODA Programs, Community Based Residential Facilities, End Stage Renal Dialysis, Facilities for People with Developmental Disabilities, Home Health Agencies, Hospices, Hospitals, Laboratories, Nursing Homes, Outpatient Rehabilitation Agencies, Residential Care Apartment Complexes, Rural Health Clinics

03-009

Medication Setup in Assisted Living

[Replaced by 04-006 03/04]

Adult Day Care, Adult Family Homes, Community Based Residential Facilities, Residential Care Apartment Complexes

03-010

Hospital Responsibility and Physician Practice

Hospitals

03-011

Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry and Competency Testing Services Update

Facilities for People with Developmental Disabilities, Home Health Agencies, Hospices, Hospitals, Nurse Aide Training Programs, Nursing Homes


Upcoming Seminar/Training Opportunities

Brochures on upcoming training will be mailed to providers and posted on the Internet. Check the Provider or What's Happening sections for individual health care providers on the DHFS Website www.dhfs.state.wi.us via the Licensing pages. For registration questions, contact the Bureau of Quality Assurance Training Coordinator at (608) 267-1438.

Program(s)

Locations and Dates

Interpreting and Using the New 3-Bar OBQI Reports

Late Summer/Early Fall 2003 (tentative)

Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI 2.0)-Minimum Data Set (MDS) Basics [PDF]

October 23, 2003 – Eau Claire, Park Inn

Beyond Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Basics - Assessment and Care Planning

October 30, 2003 – Eau Claire, Park Inn

November 12, 2003 – Madison, Radisson

The Power of Information – Using the Resident Assessment Instrument to Improve the Quality of Nutrition and Hydration*

November 4, 2003 – Tomah, Holiday Inn

November 20, 2003 – Fond du Lac, Holiday Inn

*This program is planned for nutrition/dietetic professionals and others who conduct nutritional assessments, develop plans of care and evaluated nutritional outcomes for nursing home residents. This program will focus on using the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) in conducting nutritional assessments by reviewing the RAI process and related regulatory requirements, accurately coding the MDS, and using the assessment information in developing plans of care.

Home Health 101 – Regulatory Update (State & federal rules/regulations governing home health) – Changes in Conditions of Participation

Fall 2003

Reminder: Revised Long Term Care Resident Assessment Instrument Manuals Version 2.0 are available through the Bureau of Quality Assurance. Ordering information is available on the DHFS Internet site at www.dhfs.state.wi.us/rl_DSL/NHs/NHpubOrdr.htm [Sorry, no longer selling, see BQA Update July 2004].


CMS Clarification of New Fire Safety Requirements - 2000 Life Safety Code

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a Survey & Certification letter 03-21 providing clarification in response to additional concerns raised regarding the new requirements. You may view the letter online at www.cms.gov/medicaid/survey-cert/sc0321.pdf (exit DHFS; PDF). This is in addition to BQA memo 03-006 at www.dhfs.state.wi.us/rl_DSL/ Publications/03-006.htm and the Federal rule posted to www.dhfs.state.wi.us/rl_DSL/ Publications/FireSafety.pdf (PDF, 96 KB).


Nation-Wide Sprinkler Recall

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced a nationwide recall of approximately 60,000 Star ME-1 brand dry sprinklers manufactured by Chemetron Corporation. For details, see www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03116.html (exit DHFS).


Resident Room Smoke Detection Question/Answers:

Q: If a resident room is sprinkler protected, will a smoke detector still be required to address the upholstered furniture requirement 19.7.5.2 found in the 2000 Life Safety Code?

A: The additional smoke detector requirement only applies to resident rooms without sprinklers that contain resident owned furniture.

Q: If a resident’s room is not sprinkler protected, and the resident introduces upholstered furniture, is a battery-operated smoke detector allowed?

A: Yes. CMS response: A battery operated smoke detector, purchased, installed, and maintained by the facility, would be acceptable to comply with the requirements of 19.7.5.2 and 19.7.5.3 of the 2000 Life Safety Code (per James Merrill, Life Safety Code Specialist CMS, Baltimore, MD).


Administrative Rules Update

HFS 124 – "Hospitals"

The Department is proposing to modify provisions in Subchapter VI, "Critical Access Hospitals" in HFS 124. An emergency order became effective on March 21, 2003. The Department held a combined public hearing on both the emergency and proposed permanent rulemaking orders in Superior, Wisconsin on June 20, 2003, and is preparing to send the final proposed rules to the Legislative Standing Committees for review. You may view the emergency and proposed permanent rule orders on the DHFS website at www.dhfs.state.wi.us/News/Rules/ Proposed_Final_Rules/Proposed_Rule_Index.htm.

HFS 129 – "Certification of Programs for Training and Testing Nurse Assistants, Home Health Aides and Hospice Aides"

On June 1, 2003, the Wisconsin Administrative Register published the "Statement of Scope" relating to the department’s proposal to revise HFS 129. You may view the proposed revisions on the DHFS website at www.dhfs.state.wi.us/News/Rules/Rules_Under_Development/ Rules_Under_Development.htm

Other Rule Revisons - "Omnibus Rulemaking Orders"

In the interest of keeping our administrative rules up to date, the Department’s Rules Unit is in the process of sending its first annual "Omnibus" Rulemaking Order to the Legislative Council Rules Clearinghouse for comments. The Department held a public hearing on July 21, 2003 to consider the proposed permanent rules. The omnibus package includes relatively minor revisions to the following BQA rules: HFS 83 (CBRFs), HFS 124 (Hospitals), HFS 132 (Nursing Homes), HFS 133 (Home Health Agencies), and HFS 134 (Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled). You may view the proposed "Omnibus Rule" on the DHFS website at www.dhfs.state.wi.us/News/Rules/ Proposed_Final_Rules/Proposed_Rule_Index.htm

In addition to the above, the Department is drafting a "Statement of Scope" that proposes to modify a variety of its caregiver and health facility-related administrative rules via a single rulemaking order. All of the proposed revisions will cover changes to rules administered by BQA in some of the following chapters: HFS 13 (Caregiver Misconduct), HFS 83 (CBRFs), HFS 124 (Hospitals), HFS 131 (Hospices), HFS 132 (Nursing Homes), HFS 133 (Home Health Agencies), and HFS 134 (Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled).

For questions about BQA-related rules, contact Cheryl Bell-Marek at (608) 264-9896 or e-mail at bellmcj@dhfs.state.wi.us [replaced by Pat Benesh]


Latest CMS Survey & Certification Letters

Below is a list of the Survey and Certification Letters distributed by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) during the last quarter. Please be aware that some letters pertain only to state agency operations. If you have questions about individual letters, contact Susan Hespen of BQA at (608) 266-0582 or E-mail hespesj@dhfs.state.wi.us.

Title

Number

Date

Interim Guidance for the Hospital Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement Condition of Participation (posted at www.cms.gov/medicaid/survey-cert/sc0316.pdf (exit DHFS; PDF)

03-16

4/10/03

Personnel Provision of the Critical Access Hospital Emergency Services Requirement for Frontier Areas and Remote Locations - ACTION

03-17

4/10/03

Physician delegation of tasks in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) and Nursing Facilities (NFs)

03-18

4/10/03

Policy for Interim Period Between the Effective Date of CMS-2226-F and Publication of Surveyor Guidelines [CLIA – laboratories]

03-19

5/8/03

Medicare Identification Number Assignment for End Stage Renal Dialysis (ESRD) Facilities

03-20

5/8/03

Adoption of New Fire Safety Requirements for Religious Non-medical Health Care Institutions (RNHCIs), Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs), Hospice, Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), Hospitals, Long Term Care, Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded (ICFs/MR), and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)

03-21

5/8/03

Clarification of CMS Payment Policies Regarding Ambulatory Surgical Centers/Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities Conducting Business From the Same Location

03-22

6/12/03

Clarification of Designations of "Distinct Part" in the State Operation Manual, (Pub. 7)

03-23

6/12/03

Long Term Care Medication Pass Survey Requirement Clarification

03-24

6/12/03

Clarification of Issues Related to Informal Dispute Resolution

03-25

6/12/03

Impact of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) on the Nursing Home Requirement for Posting Survey Results

03-26

6/12/03


Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) Updates

OASIS Implementation Manual Revised

The OASIS Implementation Manual is written for use by home health agencies (HHAs) implementing OASIS. This manual has been updated to incorporate changes for the reduced burden OASIS made effective January 22, 2003. This updated version includes the current OASIS –B1 (12/2002) data set. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recommend that HHAs download the December 2002 revision so agencies can be assured that their manual is complete and accurate. The December 2002 revision of the OASIS Implementation manual can be accessed at www.cms.hhs.gov/oasis/usermanu.asp (exit DHFS). A comparison table at that website shows changes between the previous version (April 2001) and the revised version (December 2002) if HHAs want to download only pages that have changed.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (Q&As) Available

CMS recently published a new set of Q&As regarding the OASIS data items. These Q&As provide guidance to clinicians in responding to the data items. You can access these at: www.qtso.com/hhadownload.html (exit DHFS) or under Bulletins on the State OASIS System Welcome Page.


Outcome-Based Quality Improvement (OBQI) Reports

3-column/3-bar Outcome Reports and Training Available

As of April 28, 2003, the OASIS-based OBQI reports contain new information. A third column has been added to the OBQI case mix report and a third bar graph added to the risk-adjusted and descriptive outcome reports. The new report format allows home health agencies (HHAs) to compare their "current" period patient data to a "prior" period and also to a "reference" group.

The Bureau of Quality Assurance (BQA) will provide training in late summer/early fall on interpreting and using the new case mix and outcome reports. When training plans are finalized, BQA will provide additional information in a brochure mailed to home health agencies and also placed under Bulletins on the State OASIS System Welcome Page.

A supplement to the OBQI Implementation Manual that describes the new 3-column case mix report and the 3-bar outcome report is available on the CMS website at www.cms.hhs.gov/oasis/hhnew.asp (exit DHFS).

Patient Tally Report Workbook with Data Filtering Tool Available

The HHA OBQI reports include Patient Tally Reports. There are two separate tally reports available: one presenting an individual patient’s case mix data at the start or resumption of care episode, and the other presenting outcome information for each patient case included in the outcome report. These tally reports are helpful to HHAs in investigating their care delivery.

A spreadsheet tool is now available for HHA users to explore the data in their patient tally reports. The tool consists of a Microsoft Excel workbook with automated procedures for importing case mix and outcome tally reports and selecting cases according to user-specified outcome and case mix criteria. It is designed to assist HHA staff to use the patient tally reports for outcome-based quality improvement purposes by enabling them to focus on patients with specific attributes and outcomes and avoid manual review of lengthy printed reports. The workbook and instructions can be downloaded from www.qtso.com/hhadownload.html (exit DHFS) or under Bulletins on the State OASIS System Welcome page. If you have additional questions on how to use this tool, please contact MetaStar, your Quality Improvement Organization. Your contact person is: Debra Morse, (608) 274-1940 or (800) 362-2320 or dmorse@metastar.com.

Risk-Adjustment Refinement

You may notice differences in data between OBQI reports requested before and after March 8, 2003. A refinement of the risk-adjustment model used to calculate the national reference values on the Risk-Adjusted Outcome Report was implemented at that time. One of the refinements, an improvement in the risk-adjustment model for the OBQI reports, has allowed the outcome "Any Emergent Care" to be risk-adjusted. As a result, the measure "Any Emergent Care" was moved from the Descriptive Outcome Report to the Risk-Adjusted Outcome Report. This is for your information only and no action on your part is necessary; however, if you would like more information on these refinements, go to www.cms.hhs.gov/oasis/obqi.asp (exit DHFS).


Home Health Information Online Resource for Medicare

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are happy to announce their new online "Home Health Information Resource for Medicare." There are many features on the page, including an alphabetical listing of topics, an OASIS section, listserv access and a highlight section to emphasize current home health activities. The website address is www.cms.hhs.gov/providers/hha/ (exit DHFS).


Caregiver Misconduct Registry Changes

BQA has decided to discontinue publishing on the Internet the cumulative listing of findings placed on the Caregiver Misconduct Registry. Information on individual non-credentialed caregivers is available on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry at www.promissor.com (exit DHFS). Click on "Registry Services" (listed under "Find Other Services"), then select "Wisconsin Nurse Aides" from the drop-down box, and finally on "Search the Nurse Aide Registry." You can search by SSN or by the person’s last and first names and review the results (be sure to match crucial information such as birth dates). Information is also available by calling the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry Interactive Voice Response (IVR) toll free at 877-224-0235.

We will continue to post monthly additions to the Caregiver Misconduct Registry at www.dhfs.state.wi.us/caregiver/misconduct.htm and will keep a year’s worth of these additions available. If you have questions, please call the Caregiver Regulation and Investigation Section at (608) 243-2019.


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