173-45-07 Quality measures for nursing facilities.

For the purpose of allowing comparison between nursing facilities and to statewide averages, the department of aging shall incorporate into the consumer guide each nursing facility’s scores on the quality measures calculated by the United States centers for medicare and medicaid services.

(A) The department shall define each of the quality measures in the consumer guide. The department shall also indicate which of the quality measures are risk adjusted, and those that constitute sentinel health events.

(B) For each nursing facility for which data is available, the department shall include the nursing facility’s scores on the quality measures, together with the statewide average score for each quality measure. The scores shall be presented as percentages.

(C) The department shall include with the scores a disclaimer indicating that lower scores may not indicate that a nursing facility provides inadequate care. A nursing facility’s scores on the quality measures serve as a flag to prompt further inquiry about the care and services provided by the nursing facility. Therefore, in addition to the disclaimer, the department shall provide users with an automatic link to the nursing facility’s related survey findings, and a list of issues to consider when choosing a nursing facility.

(D) The department shall update the quality measure data displayed in accordance with this rule in January, April, July and October of each year using the most recent data provided by the centers for medicare and medicaid services.

(E) As used in this rule, “quality measure” means a measure of an aspect of the physical or mental conditions of the residents of a nursing facility that is derived from data taken from resident assessment instruments submitted by nursing facilities for purposes of the medicare and medicaid programs.

Effective: 09/07/2006

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 10/15/2010

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: RC 173.02, 173.49

Rule Amplifies: RC 173.46