OASIS experts chime in please!

[iSurvivor]

I've worked for several agencies and have been told different requirements for question M1017. One supervisor said we must ALWAYS have a diagnosis listed here because it is the reason why the patient needs HH. Another said this is not the case and doesn't always apply. For example, if the patient has back pain and is now on a new medication, would this be considered a "medical or treatment regimen change"? ~Hopelessly confused..

(M1017) Diagnoses Requiring Medical or Treatment Regimen Change Within Past 14 Days: List the patient's Medical Diagnoses and ICD-10-CM codes at the level of highest specificity for those conditions requiring changed medical or treatment regimen within the past 14 days (no V, W, X, Y or Z codes or surgical codes):

• 
  
  • Changed Medical Regimen Diagnosis
    
  • ICD-10-CM Code
    
  
  

[Libby1987]

Merely adding home health services is a change in tx, usually for a change in condition.

Think PT ordered (tx change) for no longer being able to walk with assistive device (change in condition)

So for M1017 you could include weakness, impaired gait etc.

ETA most new or changed meds would be a tx change.

[JustMeRN]

Yes, a new medication for pain, the pain would be the treated condition (or the identified cause of the pain ie arthritis, fall, fracture). You should always have a change in treatment, this is your skill. New meds (the condition treated is the diagnosis), need for monitoring (maybe nothing was changed post fall but the doctor is concerned and asked you to monitor BP for example). If there is not some sort of condition change you can't justify the need to be there.