CMS Focused Dementia Survey

The Centers for Medicare and 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. 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.

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. 

In posting the survey tools CMS is encouraging providers to assess and improve care for residents with dementia in their own nursing homes.  The tools are very detailed and provide insight into how certain responses or observations might be evaluted by the surveyors to detemine compliance. 

It is unclear at this time as to how the dementia focused survey will be utilized by regulators.  Certainly, the tools can be used for a standalone focused survey where there is a concern about the high rate of antipsychotics or around dementia related practice but the tools may also be integrated into any survey to evaluate the care being provided to individuals with dementia. 

Contact:  Elliott Frost, efrost@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8832