MDS Cordinator

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 16, 2006

What is the number of Medicare/Medicaid beds. any short term rehab?

brendamyheart · Oct 16, 2006

It depends on how many beds you have. We have two doing the MDS. I do all PPS and the other does the OBRA's. I have other duties,and I am running all day. The MDS is complicated and when it comes to Medicare reimbursement, and overloaded nurse may look over things that could make an error that would not capture revenue or what the resident is really like. When MDS 3.0 comes out the time factor really increases.

nightingale, RN · Oct 16, 2006

I agree with what has been said regarding number of beds the MDS Coordinator is responsible for. You will probably remember also that the rehab patients require more scrutiny of monitoring for changes and MDS following.

I am sure you are looking at their survey history; this would be a good indicator of the business success in how they are currently managing their patient care. I am sure they would allow chart checks in reviewing the business that you are looking at purchasing. At the least, they should allow you to review the previous years MDS's and see who and how those were done and if they consistently match the personnel group that they currently use. In other words, is what they are doing today matching the previous years success of assignment and personnel? Is it congruent?

Good luck to you. Let us know how you make out. Perhaps, you will consider coming over to the Entrepreneur Forum, here on allnurses and share some of your business success with other nurses. You will find a link to Nurse Entrepreneur Forum in my signature line.

djewel · Oct 17, 2006

What is the number of Medicare/Medicaid beds. any short term rehab?

There are 48 beds. This is my first SNF that I have ever worked in. I have alot to learn. My heart is definately into it. I want to make positive changes there for the residents and staff. When I did MDS's they were medicaide only. I am not sure about the short term rehab. Our orders always say skilled nursing for PT/OT/ST or just PT, is short term considered skilled? Thanks for your imput.

djewel · Oct 17, 2006

I agree with what has been said regarding number of beds the MDS Coordinator is responsible for. You will probably remember also that the rehab patients require more scrutiny of monitoring for changes and MDS following.
I am sure you are looking at their survey history; this would be a good indicator of the business success in how they are currently managing their patient care. I am sure they would allow chart checks in reviewing the business that you are looking at purchasing. At the least, they should allow you to review the previous years MDS's and see who and how those were done and if they consistently match the personnel group that they currently use. In other words, is what they are doing today matching the previous years success of assignment and personnel? Is it congruent?
Good luck to you. Let us know how you make out. Perhaps, you will consider coming over to the Entrepreneur Forum, here on allnurses and share some of your business success with other nurses. You will find a link to Nurse Entrepreneur Forum in my signature line.

Thank-you. Yes, have looked at most of everything except the MDS. It's a 48 bed facility with an MDS full time, DON, Charge nurse, and another nurse whom all work the day shift. The eve. nurses feel very overwhelmed with orders, new admits, pharmacy, calls, residents, family members, confused residents that want to go outside. There is usually not enough staff, except in the day to take them outside in the eve. hours. Staff on duty in the eve. are the nurse, med-aide, maybe 3-4 aides if you are lucky.It feels alittle unequal to me, as far as all the nurses on day shift. I don't have a copy of the state regs yet, and was wondering for a small facility, does the MDS need to be full time? I had heard that the previous DON took all the orders, which allowed the other nurses to supervise, and to take care of the skilled patients more effectively, and being able to get their charting done on time. We have to deal with everything in the eve. by ourselves. Thanks for your help! :mad: :uhoh21: :blushkiss :nono: alone and it does'nt seem right in the eve.

djewel · Oct 17, 2006

It depends on how many beds you have. We have two doing the MDS. I do all PPS and the other does the OBRA's. I have other duties,and I am running all day. The MDS is complicated and when it comes to Medicare reimbursement, and overloaded nurse may look over things that could make an error that would not capture revenue or what the resident is really like. When MDS 3.0 comes out the time factor really increases.

Thank-you. Can you explain the MDS 3.0/ I have'nt done any skilled MDS yet. We call the Physician order sheet, the POS. What is the PPS? Thanks a bunch! Our facility is 48 beds. :mad:

evalesco · Oct 19, 2006

PPS is the payment system for medicare residents. Prospective Payment System. You are paid a per diem daily rate per the MDS codes. Each state varies.

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/SNFPPS/

I have always worked where they have two MDS nurses, one who does long term and one who does medicare.

brendamyheart · Oct 19, 2006

We are now using the MDS version 2.0. There is a new version 3.0 coming out in the near future. It a more detailed version. You can see this version at the CMS website.

afadel · Oct 21, 2006

I just attended a presentation at the AANAC Fall Conference in Louisville. The most recent proposed version of the RAI, MDS 3.0, relies more on resident self-reporting. In theory, it should be faster to complete than the MDS 2.0.

But most people did not believe MDS 3.0 would be implemented before 2009.

brendamyheart · Oct 21, 2006

Faster! Have you seen the information they ask?????