Are You Using the Right LTCSP Resources?

New year, new LTCSP resources? Nope, not yet, despite the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) stating late last year that it is looking to potentially revamp the survey process to be more efficient. So, in the meantime, if you’re looking for the current Long-Term Care Survey Process (LTCSP) Resources, here’s a list and links to what’s current for your reference:

• Appendix PP State Operations Manual (2/3/2023)
• CMS-802 Matrix for Providers (10/2023)
• Survey Resources .zip folder (10/2023)
• Revision History for LTC Survey Process Documents and Files – Survey Resources (10/26/2023)
• LTCSP Initial Pool Care Areas .zip folder (10/2022)

LTC Survey Pathways

Don’t forget – many of the Critical Element Pathways have been revised over time – make sure you’ve got the current versions if you’re using them for survey preparation.

The following have revision dates of October 2023:

• Sufficient and Competent Nurse Staffing Review
• Dementia Care Critical Element Pathway
• Discharge Critical Element Pathway
• Accidents Critical Element Pathway
• Bladder or Bowel Incontinence Critical Element Pathway
• Hospitalization Critical Element Pathway
• Positioning, Mobility & Range of Motion (ROM)
• Tube Feeding Status Critical Element Pathway
• Hydration Critical Element Pathway
• Preadmission Screening and Resident Review Critical Element Pathway
• Respiratory Care Critical Element Pathway
• Specialized Rehabilitative or Restorative Services Critical Element Pathway
• Pressure Ulcer/Injury Critical Element Pathway
• Physical Restraints Critical Element Pathway
• Pain Recognition and Management Critical Element Pathway
• Nutrition Critical Element Pathway
• Death Critical Element Pathway
• Dialysis Critical Element Pathway
• Dental Status and Services Critical Element Pathway
• Communication and Sensory Problems (Includes Hearing and Vision) Critical Element Pathway
• Urinary Catheter or Urinary Tract Infection Critical Element Pathway
• Behavioral and Emotional Status Critical Element Pathway
• Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Critical Element Pathway
• Activities Critical Element Pathway

There’s also Critical Element Pathways with revision dates from earlier in 2023:

• Infection Prevention, Control and Immunizations (6/2023)
• Medication Storage and Labeling (6/2023)
• Binding Arbitration Agreement Review (5/2023)

These Critical Element Pathways were last updated in November 2022:

• Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI) and Quality Assessment & Assurance (QAA) Review
• Unnecessary Medications, Psychotropic Medications, and Medication Regiment Review Critical Element Pathway
• Neglect Critical Element Pathway
• Abuse Critical Element Pathway
• SNF ABN Notification Review
• Personal Funds Review
• Environmental Observations
• Resident Council Interview
• Kitchen/Food Service Observation Tool
• Dining Observation

The rest of the available tools are from early in the LTCSP implementation, so they are dated 2017:

• Medication Administration Observation (11/2017)
• Resident Assessment Critical Element Pathway (5/2017)
• Hospice and End of Life Care and Services Critical Element Pathway (5/2017)
• General Critical Element Pathway (2/2017)

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