On April 2, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a training video tutorial to promote the accurate coding of the resident mood interview for MDS 3.0. The training video is designed to teach the learner how to properly conduct a resident mood interview using the PHQ-9©.
The 30-minute video depicts a scenario that demonstrates the interview of a resident for the mood interview. Various interviewing tips and techniques are highlighted in the video to promote the accurate coding of PHQ-9©, D0200, and D0300 for MDS 3.0. The tutorial video can be accessed here.
The CMS webpage entitled “Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Training” provides additional training resources designed to give facility staff information about SNF QRP trainings. Topics for which CMS has provided training resources include:
- Properly Coding Section GG
- Achieving a Full Annual Payment Update (APU)
- Properly Coding Section J: Health Conditions: Coding the Standardized Patient Assessment Data
- Element Related to Falls
- Properly Coding Section N: Medication-Drug Regimen Review
- How Data Elements Are Used to Construct Quality Measures (QMs)
All of CMS’s training resources for SNFs can be accessed here.
Compliance Perspective
Issue
Accurate coding of the MDS is absolutely crucial to ensure accuracy of quality measures for your facility and accurate billing. Quality Measures (QMs) are available online to your residents, their families, and potential customers, and provide them with information regarding the quality of care being delivered by your staff. These QMs should guide your facility to determine the areas of your quality improvement efforts that need additional attention. Inaccurate coding will lead to inaccurate QMs, which may be seen as fraud in billing practices, and could lead to a deficiency for F641 – Accuracy of Assessments. Facility leadership, including the MDS coordinators, should be trained and knowledgeable on accurate coding and the importance of quality measures, and should have access to the most current version of the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual available here.
Discussion Points
- Review your policies and procedures to determine if revisions are needed to ensure accurate coding of the MDS. Revise your policy as needed when updates are published.
- Train all appropriate staff on how to code the MDS accurately, how your quality measures are formulated, and the potential impact of inaccurate coding. Document that the training occurred.
- Periodically audit to ensure that MDS coding is accurately completed by all individuals who are inputting data for the MDS at your facility. Determine that staff completing any sections of the MDS have the most current version of the users’ manual to guide them.
