MindyRN6

I am MDS coordinator in a specialized facility that only accepts patients with major psychiatric conditions that have been denied from at least 5 other nursing homes. Our quality indicators have us as sky high for antipsychotic use in absence of condition because of the limited number of ICD 9 codes recognized. This article makes me sooo angry. A coding issue makes it look like we're improperly medicating our residents. Schizophrenia is recognized, but schizoaffective (same thing, but with a mood disorder as well) is not??!! Also, antipsychotics are appropriately uses as adjunctive therapy for bipolar disorders and depression that is resistive to treatment. It also angers me when the assumption is made that all nursing home residents are elderly. We have some in their 20's and very few older than 75.