MDS Team...Should it be decentralized?

[MystyDreamer]

Our corporate offices have decided to decentralize the MDS by having different departments do their sections and their own CAA's. They are also to do their own input into the careplan itself. These department have had only 2 days of training by an outside service. These decisions were made without discussion with the current team in place.

Does this approach work? I would be very interested in hearing the opinions of other MDS coordinators on how they handle the MDS in their facility. This is a SNF with 160+ beds all of them certified and no designated rehab wing. Med A's can be placed anywhere.

Thanks for any input

[Bella'sMyBaby]

I have always worked for Companies which require each specific discipline to enter their own information....

Social Services/Activities/Dietary complete their designated sections of the MDS.

[dbsue1954]

We have each discipline completing their own sections of the MDS and formulating and updating their own care plans. We have not seemed to have any problems with it. My team is really good about communicating any significant changes they discover while doing thei sections on 3.0. We then discuss at team meetings whether they qualify for a significant changes. works well here!

[mdgale]

having written my master’s degree capstone onthe mds and care planning process in ltc, i can tell you as an expert that yes,the mds process should be decentralized. that has been the intent of cms from the beginning. an interdepartmental view of the resident’sstatus is the main purpose of the mds 3.0 assessment.

that being said i understand yourconcerns. as the mds coordinator and raimanager you need to take ownership of the process. does that mean you do everyone’s work,no. what it means is that you lead,guide, and mentor your fellow department managers. you train them and teach them. this is a lengthy process and requires those “teachablemoments” that happen without planning. it requires constant re-education and patience.

having your fellow managers actively providemds input and care planning will strengthen your team, improve your residentcare, and earn you the respect that you deserved all along. they will certainly appreciate your role inthe facility that much more.

please post how this transition goes for yourfacilty.

m. gale, rn, msn, rac-ct