BrookeJayneRN, DIT

And to expand a bit on what she means by locking...answering the sections (i.e. section g, h, l, m, n) prior to the ard, closing those sections with a date prior to the ard and submitting them to cms that way.

Thanks.

Talino if you're out there I want to know what you think about this because you're the smartest coordinator I know. My regional mds consultant swears it is OK to lock sections of the mds assessment PRIOR to the ard, even the ones that are not interview sections (g,h,i,m,n) as long as u go back and recheck it. Aside from the stupidity of having to look at it again why on earth would u want it to appear that you've locked a section before the ard? There's no way she can be correct, right? If you say she is right, then I'll believe it. But that's the only way I'm buying what she's selling.

Thank you for your help. It is greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much! I knew you would know! Now say for example I open the assessment in the computer on day 15 (in the 14 day window) but then therapy decides they want the ARD to be day 13? Is that legit since I opened it on day 15 which is in the allowed window but after the actual ARD?

Talino - you are so savvy and knowledgeable about the MDS process and I love reading your answers to the world's MDS conundrums. I have a question and would greatly appreciate your expert opinion. I am an MDS Coordinator in a building with a fairly high Medicare census (average Med A census about 50) and it is primarily my only focus as we have a second MDS Coordinator who tends to our 80 LTC residents and their assessment needs. As is often the case with PPS, rehab and myself don't always have the same interpretations of what the RAI Manual states. Communication with the therapy at my facility is satisfactory, as always there is room for improvement but not bad. My question is this...when setting an ARD for a Med A resident with the therapy dept, do you believe that the assessment has to be opened (as in the computer) on or prior to the date decided on? For example, if the 14 day PPS assessment has an ARD set for day 13, in your opinion, does the assessment have to be opened up in the computer by day 13? Or could it be opened up on day 14 or 15 without a penalty (still within the 14 day window but after the date set by rehab)? I tried to make that as clear as possible... :)