Representatives from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), Ohio Department of Aging (AGE), and provider associations met on July 30 to discuss current survey activity, regulatory updates, and emerging issues affecting long-term care providers. Several updates may help providers prepare for upcoming surveys and avoid common compliance concerns.
ODH reported continued progress in reducing the survey backlog. As of the meeting, there were 235 overdue nursing home annual surveys, with an average interval of 25.5 months between surveys. Residential care facilities had 87 overdue annual surveys, with an average survey interval of 15.4 months. ODH also announced the recent hiring of 11 additional surveyors, bringing the department to approximately 160 budgeted surveyor positions, with plans to hire additional surveyors later this fall. The implementation of ODH's new survey software, CLASS, has been delayed and no implementation date has been finalized as the department continues working with its vendor.
On the regulatory front, ODH reported that rule reviews continue for the Abuse, Neglect, and Misappropriation regulations as well as the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) rules. Additional information will be shared as those rule packages move through the review process.
The Ohio Department of Aging provided several updates regarding resident and family satisfaction surveys. Providers participating in the second half of the Resident Satisfaction Survey can expect communications from ODA in late August or September. These surveys will collect resident feedback through February, with reports becoming available after data collection is complete. ODA also anticipates releasing Family Satisfaction Survey reports in October. To assist providers in making the most of these reports, Erin Pettigrew from ODA will present on August 20, demonstrating how to access survey results, interpret performance data, identify trends, and use the Priority Index to focus quality improvement efforts.
One topic generating significant discussion involved Life Safety Code surveys for nursing facilities providing ventilator or critical care services. ODH clarified that surveyors are not applying new Life Safety Code requirements. Facilities identified as providing ventilator services have been surveyed to the EES Category 1 standards for more than ten years. However, providers may be seeing an increase in citations because surveyors now have access to the Ohio Department of Medicaid's list identifying facilities approved for critical care services rather than relying solely on whether a facility currently has a ventilator resident. ODH advised that facilities cited under these standards that no longer intend to provide ventilator services should contact Ohio Medicaid to be removed from the critical care list and document that action in their Plan of Correction. ODH also acknowledged questions regarding facilities providing only non-invasive ventilation and indicated the department will further evaluate that issue.
When asked about common survey trends, ODH indicated that Immediate Jeopardy citations continue to occur when facilities fail to recognize or respond appropriately to significant changes in a resident's condition. Delays in obtaining necessary medical treatment and poor resident outcomes resulting from delayed intervention remain recurring themes. Providers should continue emphasizing prompt assessment, physician notification, timely treatment, and thorough documentation whenever a resident experiences a significant change in condition.