217.000 NURSING HOMES

(See Reimbursement 265.000; Weight Management & Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles, 320.000) 

217.990           Discharge summaries from Skilled Nursing Facilities

MSSNY will seek through legislation and/or regulation that Skilled Nursing Facilities shall be required to provide discharge summaries of a patient’s clinical course while admitted to a skilled nursing facility to a patient’s physician for the purpose of continuity of care. (HOD 2024 – 114)

217.991           Allocation of COVID-19 Therapeutics in Times of Shortages

MSSNY supports high prioritization of nursing homes in the allocation of COVID-19 therapeutics. (HOD 2022-157)

217.992           Ensuring Rapid Turnaround for Nucleic Act Amplification Tests in Nursing Homes

The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) supports the necessity of a turnaround time of no more than 24 hours for Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT’s) originating from nursing homes. MSSNY will advocate that nursing homes receive high prioritization in the allocation of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT’s) testing materials. MSSNY will advocate to the NYS and NYC Departments of Health that Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT’s) originating from nursing homes should be resulted within 24 hours of their receipt by the certified laboratory. (HOD 2022-156)

217.993           Nursing Home Medical Director Registry

MSSNY will collaborate with the New York State Department of Health to create an active/ up-to-date registry of nursing home medical directors and associate medical directors that can be accessed by physicians, hospitals, and/or health systems. (HOD 2021-154)

217.994           Addressing Observation Status for Skilled Nursing Patients

The Medical Society of the State of New York supports the position that admission status and length of stay are not to be considered requirements for medical eligibility when, in the judgment of the attending or emergency physician, skilled nursing care is the most appropriate care for the patient.  (HOD 2018-50)

217.995           Nursing Home Inspections Should Include Physicians

The Department of Health of the State of New York (NYSDOH) should be required to assign at least one physician as a member of every health department nursing home inspection team and physicians involved in Nursing Home inspections should be involved in any appeals.  NYSDOH physicians should be made available to review and answer questions and appeals from physicians who are working with patients in the home being reviewed. (HOD 2017-100)

217.996           Patient Rights in Skilled Nursing Facilities

The Medical Society of the State of New York will advocate to the Department of Health and the Legislature for patient rights in nursing facilities.

The Medical Society of the State of New York will encourage physicians to have informed consent discussions with patients in skilled facilities with regard to their dietary restrictions and medication protocols and when such patients express a judgment not to follow those protocols that they not be ordered for such patients.

The Medical Society of the State of New York will advocate for an inspection system of the inspectors to be sure there is consistency in the inspection process.

The Medical Society of the State of New York will solicit from its members, skilled nursing facilities and Article 28 facilities, examples of arbitrary and capricious enforcement of Health Department Code. (HOD 2012-211; Reaffirmed HOD 2022)

217.997           Quality of Care – Nursing Homes:

MSSNY will support the mandatory reporting of falls with serious injuries in all nursing homes in New York State to the New York State Department of Health in order to establish a data base to indicate where it is necessary to improve quality of care and reduce falls and injuries and to seek legislation or regulation in New York State to implement this policy that includes a provision that the data remain confidential and not subject to disclosure. (HOD 2007-260; Reaffirmed HOD 2017)

217.998           Quality of Care in Nursing Homes – Nursing Staffing Level:

MSSNY supports the CMS nurse staffing requirements as outlined in the Federal Register of October 28, 2005 and transmit this recommendation to the New York State Department of Health (NYS/DOH), the New York State Legislature and the American Medical Association and that MSSNY work with the NYS/DOH, and other long term care payers, to correct the payment methodology for nursing home care. (HOD 2006-252; Reaffirmed HOD 2016)

217.999           Quality of Care – Nursing Home Mandatory Reporting Serious Injuries:

MSSNY supports mandatory reporting of serious injuries in nursing homes as is required in New York State hospitals, and transmit this recommendation to the New York State Department of Health for implementation.  (HOD 2006-251; Reaffirmed HOD 2016)