Home : Long-Term Care : Knowledge Point Articles : Nursing Home Time Study
Email a friend Print this page
Knowledge Point Articles
February 2006
National Nursing Home Time Study
On December 13, 2005, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) held a Special Open Door Forum on the national nursing home time
study called Staff Time and Resource Intensity Verification (STRIVE). CMS and
the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care (IFMC) presented the scope and goals for
the STRIVE Project. To view the STRIVE Project slide presentation, go to
www.qtso.com and click on “Time Study STRIVE” in the left hand column.
On
September 30, 2005, CMS awarded a contract to the IFMC and its partners to
conduct this study. The goals of STRIVE are to: 1) enhance efficiency and
accuracy of the RUGs system; 2) reflect changes in health care practices since
implementation of the SNF PPS; and 3) design payment to promote
quality.
Some of the historical data discussed was that the RUG-III
classification system was designed by relating resident characteristics to
wage-weighted staff time. The information regarding the resident’s
characteristics was derived from the MDS resident assessment instrument. Nearly
fifty percent of states use a version of the RUG classification system to pay
for Medicaid nursing home care. Both the Federal and State systems are based on
staff time measurements collected in 1990, 1995 and 1997. There has not been a
national time study since 1997.
The STRIVE Project team will implement
and manage CMS’s multi-state nursing home time study. This will include the
recruitment of nursing homes, state agencies and volunteers; providing the
hardware, software and training; and coordinating the data collection and data
analysis.
The STRIVE Project team sampling approaches will include
looking at Medicare and the special population using a large, nationally
represented sample of approximately 12,000 residents within the 15 volunteer
states. The facility screening will be based on survey deficiencies and QI/QM
measures and includes around 240 facilities.
The time lines associated with the STRIVE Project include:
| Start | Finish | |
| Recruit state agencies and volunteers | 09/30/05 | 12/31/06 |
| Recruit nursing homes | 09/30/05 | 12/31/06 |
| Conduct pilot study | 03/06/06 | 03/17/06 |
| Data collection | 04/01/06 | 04/01/07 |
| Data analysis | 04/01/06 | 05/01/07 |
CMS and IFMC encouraged providers to make comments or ask questions about the
nursing home time study project. You can e-mail your comments and questions to
STRIVE@IFMC.org.
Karen Merk, RN, BS, CRNAC
Clinical Consultant, Briggs Corporation
Back to Knowledge Point Articles
Submit Knowledge Point Feedback