Long-Term Care Industry Braces for Implementation of MDS 3.0: HCPro Responds with MDSonlineC...( The results ...),Health

The results of a recent survey on major overhaul of ltc processes for 2009.

Marblehead, MA (PRWEB) January 7, 2009 -- Results are in from a national survey of long-term care administrators and MDS coordinators fielded by HCPro, Inc., a Halyard portfolio company. While many are waiting for the MDS 3.0 implementation date to begin the transition, the concerns over educating themselves and their staff members is starting now. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed reported that they have already started training staff, despite few facilities (only 16%) having budgets designated for this effort. Most organizations plan to wait until the final MDS 3.0 assessment is released in March, 2009, before training will begin in earnest.

Getting staff up to speed on how to code the new assessment correctly was discovered to be the single biggest concern among responding facilities. But when asked about worries over the nuts and bolts of implementing the change, a substantial 62% of facilities indicated the amount of time necessary to train staff members on MDS 3.0 was the key problem area troubling them.

Responding long-term care professionals were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the HCPro launch of a centralized online portal providing updates, analysis and guidance to assist them in meeting the challenge.

"MDSCentral intends to help facilities prepare for current and impending changes related to the MDS 3.0 process. The planned changes and transition to MDS 3.0 impact every nursing facility business process and system from assessment to billing to payment to quality measurement to the 5-Star ratings. This simple and easy-to-navigate site will allow users to get answe
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