Episode 1 – CMS 2025 Long Term Care Regulatory Changes Overview
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 for supporting documentation for the use of psychotropic medications. This episode discusses the updated Appendix PP which contains critical element pathways which surveyors will use during the nursing home survey process. These critical element pathways include the unnecessary medications pathway and the discharge pathway. The unnecessary medications is an important resources tool all facilities should carfully review especially for residents with dementia and schizophrenia diagnoses and receiving psychotropic medications.