Q:
Now that standard surveys are beginning to resume, will surveyors still conduct the annual survey if we have active COVID-19 cases in the facility and will it trigger them to combine a Focused Infection Control (FIC) Survey with the annual survey?
A:
Yes, the surveyors will still conduct the annual survey if you have active COVID-19 cases in the facility. Upon arrival, your facility is cohorting COVID-19 positive residents, they will ensure only one surveyor is assigned to and stays exclusively in that area of the building. That surveyor will only meet virtually with the survey team throughout the survey. In situations where there is only one surveyor conducting the survey (e.g., complaint, LSC, or EP), to the extent possible, the surveyor will begin the survey activity in an area with negative residents and not return to that area once positive residents have been encountered.
If you active COVID-19 cases, it will not trigger the survey team to combine a FIC survey with the annual survey. The Infection Control Facility Task performed as part of the standard recertification health survey is a comprehensive look at facility infection prevention and control practices, and includes a review of those practices necessary to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. The probes of the FIC survey tool have been combined with the Infection Control Facility Task Pathway and will be used for all LTC recertification surveys, infection control complaints, and FIC stand-alone surveys; therefore a separate FIC survey would not be necessary.
CMS has provided a FAQ document related to the resumption of surveys in QSO-20-31-All-Revised 01/04/2021.
Contact Proactive to learn more about survey support solutions and to schedule a mock survey as part of your 5 Star work plan.
Blog by Shelly Maffia, MSN, MBA, RN, LNHA, QCP, CHC, CLNC, Proactive Medical Review
Click here to learn more about Shelly and the rest of the Proactive team.