CMS eases use of COVID-19 survey tool, visitor requirements

CMS is lifting an almost two-year-old requirement for surveyors to use a COVID-19 focused infection control tool (FIC) as it reviews acute and continuing care facilities during surveys.

Visitor restrictions are also lifted for now.

The tool, designed to help facilities as well as surveyors focus on the need for specific COVID-19 controls, can still be used by both CMS state survey agencies and accrediting organizations (AOs) “if warranted,” according the newest pandemic-related memo from Quality, Safety and Oversight Group memo QSO-21-08-NLTC.

Otherwise, it’s no longer necessary because facilities remain very well focused on COVID-19 infection control as the public health emergency (PHE) continues into its third year, says CMS.

“Based on stakeholder feedback and survey activity, we believe acute and continuing care (ACC) facilities have incorporated COVID-19 management strategies into their infrastructure and operations, and there is no longer a need to continue the required use of the special FIC survey and tool on a national basis,” according to the memo.

“Surveyors will continue to evaluate infection prevention and control elements related to COVID-19 through the existing survey process, while incorporating lessons learned about infection control oversight during the PHE. State Survey Agencies (SAs) & Accrediting Organizations (AOs) may continue to use the targeted FIC survey, on a case by case basis, if warranted,” says CMS.

The agency also addressed visitor restrictions.

“We recognize that requirements for entering healthcare facilities such as visitation restrictions were used to mitigate the introduction of COVID-19 into facilities. At this time, continued federal guidance regarding visitation restrictions for ACC facilities are no longer necessary. Facilities should continue to adhere to basic COVID-19 infection prevention principles consistent with national standards of practice,” says the memo.

None of this means that CMS state survey agencies (SAs) and AO surveyors won’t be looking at your COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

“SAs and AOs should return to the existing standard survey processes and continue to assess COVID-19 infection prevention and control elements by focusing on the regulatory requirements, while incorporating lessons learned about infection control oversight during the PHE,” says the memo. “For example, most ACC providers have requirements to develop and maintain approved policies and procedures for minimizing transmission of infectious disease that are established based on nationally recognized standards of practice. Surveyors will assess whether those polices are developed appropriately and followed.”

And that focused survey tool can still be used if a surveyor sees the need, stressed CMS.

The memo also has a list of updated resources for COVID-19 infection prevention and control.

Find the memo at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-21-08-nltc-revised.pdf.