Nursing and Boarding Care Home Survey and Complaint Inspection Findings

The Minnesota Department of Health, Health Regulation Division, under a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), is responsible for ensuring that facilities accepting Medicare and Medicaid payment for services provided to program beneficiaries meet federal regulations and certification rules.

The surveys and complaint investigations evaluate the quality of care and services provided, as well as the appropriateness of the facility's building, equipment, staffing, policies, procedures and finances. They are a snapshot of the facility's performance at the point in time when the survey is conducted. Complaints are an allegation of non-compliance and are prioritized for investigation based on seriousness.

• Search for health care provider evaluation and investigation results
• View the federal Medicare website for nursing home comparisons

About Surveys

• Surveys may include complaint investigations, are always unannounced and typically are conducted over a period of several days. Surveys can be conducted on weekdays, evenings and nights as well as on weekends and holidays.
• Surveyors are health care professionals such as registered nurses, dietitians, and social workers.
• A survey report is sent to the nursing home after each survey and at the top of the report it will be noted if complaint allegations were investigated with the survey.
• If standards are not met, then the nursing home must submit a plan of correction to MDH. This plan of correction must include information on how and when the problem was corrected, as well as how it will be prevented in the future. Facilities have the right to informally appeal any deficiencies found during a survey through an informal dispute resolution process.
• In some cases, a follow-up survey is made to verify that corrections have been made.
• Surveys look at the care provided to a sample of residents.
• Surveys may include complaint allegations.
• Surveys only reflect a snapshot in time.
• Because surveys are conducted at different times, by different teams of surveyors for each nursing home, it represents just one source of information to use in choosing a nursing home. Always visit the nursing home to evaluate services first hand.
  
  When choosing a nursing home, review the survey findings to help you make an informed choice when considering a nursing home. However, it is important to use more than one piece of information to make the decision of which nursing home is right for the care of a family member or friend. Consumers should use this survey findings information as an aid to - not a substitute for - an in person visit to the nursing home under consideration. Visits to nursing facilities being considered and discussion with friends, family and staff members prior to deciding which facility will best meet your needs are essential.
• As you view the survey findings you will see that the first page is the "Medicare/Medicaid Certification and Transmittal" form, this page provides summary information that may be of interest to you about the facility such as the number of beds or how large the facility may be.
• The second document is the cover letter sent to the nursing home summarizing the survey findings, enforcement remedies, and time frames for correcting concerns.
• The third document is the actual detailed survey findings on the left side of the page and the facility's plan of correction on the right side of the document.