McKnight's Long-Term Care News Newsmakers Podcast with Leah Klusch

Operational stress in long-term care facilities necessitates a strategic shift toward data accuracy and efficiency as the industry moves beyond pandemic-era flexibilities. Leah Klusch, Executive Director of the Alliance Training Center, emphasizes that providers must transition MDS managers away from clerical tasks to focus on professional data formulation. This process requires reproducible, consistent documentation from the bedside to ensure the database remains audit-ready for CMS’s increasingly aggressive analytics. With over 230 MDS items now influencing Part A claims under PDPM, the upcoming 1.18.1 MDS database update will further refine definitions for high-acuity services. Facilities must prioritize staff training and operational reviews to align clinical documentation with reimbursement requirements, as CMS utilizes enhanced oversight to substantiate payments and monitor quality measures. Consistent, educated data entry across the interdisciplinary team serves as the primary defense against negative financial and regulatory outcomes in 2022.