Memorandum Summary

Focused Dementia Care Survey Pilot: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) completed a pilot project in 2014 to examine the process for prescribing antipsychotic medications and assess compliance with other federal requirements related to dementia care practices in nursing homes. Additionally, it was initiated to gain new insights about surveyor knowledge and skills and ways that the current survey process may be streamlined to more efficiently and accurately identify and cite deficient practice.

Expansion of Focused Dementia Care Survey Efforts: In 2015, the expansion project involved a more intensive, targeted effort to cite poor dementia care and the overutilization of antipsychotic medications, and broaden the opportunities for quality improvement among providers.

Focused Dementia Care Survey Tools: In response to feedback from stakeholders and partners of the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes, CMS is sharing the revised survey materials that were developed for the 2014 Focused Dementia Care Survey Pilot and 2015 expansion effort. The intent is that facilities would use these tools to assess their own practices in providing resident care.

Read the full release here: Survey-and-Cert-Letter-16-04