Report: State Survey Agencies Need Additional Guidance to Assess Nursing Home Emergency Preparedness Programs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently released the report “State Survey Agencies Need Additional Guidance to Assess Nursing Home Emergency Preparedness Programs”. In response to nursing home failures, such as resident deaths during disasters and emergencies, the HHS OIG assessed State survey agencies' processes for overseeing nursing home emergency preparedness in accordance with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Requirements for Participation. The report found that a quarter of State survey agencies reported challenges with surveyor emergency preparedness expertise; however, almost half of State survey agencies reported successes beyond CMS guidance. OIG recommends that CMS provide surveyors with instructions on how to assess the contents of nursing home emergency preparedness documentation and issue guidance that encourages State survey agencies to collaborate and share information.