Nursing Homes Reminded to Report HCP Influenza Vaccinations for QRP
Nursing homes are reminded that health care personnel (HCP) influenza vaccination rates must be reported for the period of Oct. 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023 in order to satisfy Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements. These data must be reported through the Healthcare Personnel Safety (HPS) Component of the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) to ensure that they are transferred to the QRP. Reporting weekly influenza vaccination data through the NHSN Long Term Care Facility Component does not fulfill this QRP requirement.
Reporting through the HPS Component may require a provider to go through the process of establishing access to that component. The operational guidance available here outlines the new requirements. A fact sheet available here provides quick information on obtaining access to the HPS Component.
A single summary report for the entire period must be submitted by May 15, 2023. According to the QRP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
SNFs are required to submit the summary report at the conclusion of the measure reporting period [March 31, 2023]. SNFs may submit data more frequently, such as on a monthly basis, to report the number of HCP who are physically present in the SNF for at least 1 working day between October 1, 2023 through March 31, 2023. The information submitted would be used to calculate one summary score for the measure which would be used to determine compliance with the SNF QRP.
Under the QRP, a SNF that fails to submit the required quality data will be subject to a two percentage point reduction in the Annual Payment Update (APU) for the applicable performance year.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) strongly encourages submitting quality data prior to the deadline to ensure that the data are complete and accurate and to allow providers an opportunity to address any submission issues.
More information from LeadingAge National is available here.
Contact: Karen Lipson, klipson@leadingageny.org