CMS Policy & Memos to States and Regions
CMS issues S&C memos weekly. It will be the responsibility of providers to check weekly for new information listed at the CMS S&C memo website.

Quality assurance for the Medicare & Medicaid Program Mission & Priority Document (MPD)

The mission of the survey and certification (S&C) program is to ensure basic levels of quality and safety for all patients, residents and clients receiving care from Medicare and Medicaid certified institutional providers. Survey and certification is the system that provides on-site, objective, and outcome-based verification by knowledgeable and trained individuals to ensure that basic standards of quality are being met by health care providers across the nation or, if not met, that appropriate remedies are promptly applied and implemented effectively.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Mission & Priority document (MPD) – Action

Important federal survey data including results of inspections and complaints

S&C's Quality, Certification and Oversight Reports (QCOR)
Quality and Certification Oversight Reports (QCOR) website includes summarized federal survey and certification and complaints data, including results of on-site inspections, of providers and suppliers and deficiency data links and more.

Federal and state emergency preparedness

Emergency Preparedness Rule
Emergency preparedness resources and surveyor tool.

Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers
Links to resources that can help providers and suppliers comply with the recently released Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Emergency Preparedness Rule. Has a document titled "Resources at Your Fingertips," which contains checklists and fact sheets on the essential four core elements of the CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule.

State Operation Manual, Appendix Z- Guidance to Surveyors: Emergency Preparedness for All Provider and Certified Supplier Types Interpretive Guidance
Directions: Select Appendices Table of Contents, Scroll to Appendix Letter Z, and Federal Regulations for Emergency Preparedness for All Provider and Certified Supplier types.

CMS Quality, Safety & Education Portal (QSEP) - CMS Emergency Preparedness Basic Surveyor Training Course (EP)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Survey & Certification Group (SCG) developed the Emergency Preparedness Basic Surveyor Training Course to help health and safety and Life Safety Code (LSC) surveyors and reviewers gain proficiency in surveying all affected participating providers and certified suppliers for compliance with their individual emergency preparedness requirements. Because the individual regulations for each provider and supplier type share a majority of standard provisions, this training provides consistent guidance and survey procedures for all provider and supplier types in a single course. The estimated course completion time for this training is 16 hours.

MDH Center for Emergency Preparedness & Response
This section of MDH coordinates preparedness activities and assists Minnesota Department of Health staff, local public health agencies, hospitals, health care organizations, tribes and public safety officials in their efforts to plan for respond to and recover from public health emergencies.

Resources

CMS Quality, Safety & Education Portal (QSEP) - CMS Surveyor Training
The Quality, Safety & Education Portal (QSEP) site includes a wealth of resources and training opportunities including webcasts and archived webinars. These video broadcasts are utilized to facilitate joint training between the state survey agencies and providers using the technology available via satellite communications. The training is updated periodically by CMS. Use the search bar to find courses.

Minnesota e-Health
E-health is the adoption and effective use of electronic health record (EHR) systems and other health information technology (HIT) to improve health care quality, increase patient safety, reduce health care costs, and enable individuals and communities to make the best possible health decisions.