Vital Compliance Insights

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We shift from facility-level thinking to the corporate level and lay out what a systems-based approach looks like when an organization has multiple facilities. We also argue that a system only protects quality and compliance when corporate leaders verify it is truly being carried out. • corporate mission and vision translated into usable policies and procedures • leveraging corporate resources and talent to support facility teams • a replicable “Guardian Angel” rounding program as a measureme...

We examine how CMS F841 and new OIG oversight raise expectations for nursing home medical directors, demanding visible engagement, better policies, and data-informed leadership. We share field lessons on antipsychotics, facility assessment, and building dashboards that support real accountability. • CMS shifts from F501 to F841 and clarifies medical director duties • OIG focus on engagement, visit frequency, and compensation integrity • Risks of absent or passive medical directors in daily c...

Accurate MDS completion has become a regulatory lightning rod as the OIG and CMS intensify their scrutiny of long-term care documentation. This shift isn't merely procedural—it signals a comprehensive effort to identify potential fraud and ensure residents receive appropriate care based on accurate assessments. The recent OIG work plan specifically targets resident falls resulting in major injuries, with investigators cross-referencing hospital claims against facility MDS documentation. When...

OIG 2023-2024 Compliance Guidance for Long Term Care Facilities is summarized to highlight importance of a compliance committee and the responsibility to assist the chief compliance officer to develop a robust facility risk assessment. From that assessment the committee would need to develop meaningful and accessible policies and procedures to guide all levels of the facility staff and consultants of their roles and responsibilities in maintaining healthcare compliance.

In this podcast episode, the host discusses the 2023 and 2024 updates to OIG's compliance program guidance (CPGs). These updates include a move to publishing the CPGs on the OIG website and the addition of a section on quality and patient safety. The host emphasizes the importance of incorporating quality and patient safety into compliance programs and discusses their personal experiences as a health care analyst working with corporate integrity agreements. The episode concludes with a quote ...

Summary The CMS has released updated guidance on the long-term care survey process, focusing on accuracy of the MDS, medical director responsibilities, psychotropic medications and chemical restraints. In addition, the CMS issued clarifications for enhanced barrier precautions, pain management, quality assurance and performance improvement, health care equity, and prohibits certain language in admission agreements. It is important to recognize that healthcare surveyors will be looking f...