Survey readiness is not an option in today’s skilled nursing environment. The Department of Health (DOH) can enter your facility at any time, whether on a complaint or for an annual survey. If DOH walked through your doors today, is your facility prepared? The staffing challenges the healthcare industry is facing leads to a high rate of staff turnover. Is your current staff prepared for a survey? Do they know the facility’s policies and procedures? How would they respond to surveyor questions? How would they score on a medication pass or treatment observation audit?
Conducting a mock survey allows you to assess your facility’s preparedness and knowledge of policies and procedures.
Why Perform a Mock Survey?
Performing a mock survey will:
- Identify areas of noncompliance with regulations.
- Ensure staff feel prepared and confident with the survey process.
- Pinpoint areas of weakness or areas that need improvement.
- Give residents and resident representatives an opportunity to voice concerns.
Why Hire an External Team to Conduct Your Mock Survey?
Many companies rely on regional staff or staff from other facilities to complete their mock surveys. Pulling staff away from their regular duties can be difficult, and they may get interrupted countless times throughout the day with phone calls and emails. How thorough of a review are they able to complete? What is their expertise level?
When you hire an external consulting team to complete your mock survey, you are hiring;
- Surveyor-level expertise and compliance-focused questioning
- A comprehensive review of areas of risk and noncompliance
- In-depth knowledge of state and federal regulations
- An unbiased, fresh perspective on facility operations
A mock survey allows the opportunity to focus on areas that need improvement prior to a surveyor identifying them. It supports targeted education and training needs of staff. It also gives the opportunity to use your Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) process to address identified areas of weakness and noncompliance.
A mock survey helps your team deliver the highest quality of care while strengthening survey readiness. Proactive preparation supports better survey outcomes and can positively impact your facility’s star rating.
Don’t want a full mock survey but have areas of concern? LW Consulting, Inc. (LWCI), offers a comprehensive range of services that can assist your organization in monitoring and compliance of a specific area of focus or an entire mock survey. For more information, contact LWCI to connect with one of our experts!
