FAQs & Test Your Knowledge

Test Your Knowledge Questions:

1) Are barrier cream ointments coded in Section M?

2)  Will the new 4 SDOH be on this year's new MDS in October and they will not be until next year Oct 2025? If that is the case, there are just 3 changes: 1. Anticonvulsants to N, 2. COVID vaccine to O, 3. GG Goal column goal, and a few changes to the wording? 

3) The new interview questions from the 10/1/23 MDS changes don't have specific timeframes on them like the BIMs, PHQ2-9, and pain interviews do. It doesn't mention they need to be completed in the look-back period every MDS like the other interviews do. Do we need to only interview them at admission and can those interviews be used in the future for all other MDS assessments? Or do we still need to ask those interview questions every time since the answers aren't likely to change between MDS assessments like the pain, BIMs, and PHQ2-9 could?

4) A resident was visiting family at home, fell, and sustained a skin tear, would this be reported on the MDS? 

5)  Will there be new guidance for completing 'Prior Level of Function' in Section GG? The current directions say code for "functioning prior to the current illness, exacerbation, or injury". Some recent in-house training states code Prior level of function based on the previous 7 days from admission to SNF.