Last week, we reported that our national affiliate, American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, would be running a multi-part educational series highlighting different areas in which the Minimum Data Set/Resident Assessment Instrument (MDS/RAI) would be changing effective October 1, 2023.  Below please find the second installment in this important educational series:

Changes to Section B

Since their release on April 3, 2023, MDS 3.0 version v1.8.11v2 final item sets and draft RAI guidance were updated and substantial changes were made to several sections. Changes to section B include:

• Incorporation of the Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements (SPADES).
• Health Literacy, which allows for standardized data collection across all health care settings.

AHCA has created an MDS Section B resource document to help providers understand the changes. The information in the resource document outlines key changes to MDS Section B, Coding Instructions/RAI Guidelines for each item, and Actions to Consider for implementation across a facility.

It is important that facilities develop a training plan to ensure all staff impacted by the changes are well versed in them.

Additional Resources:

• AHCA Education: MDS Updates Effective 10/1/2023
• Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Training
• SNF Understanding Changes to the MDS 3.0 RAI Manual v1.18.11 Training Webinar
• SNF Social Determinants of Health and New Data Elements in Section A & B Training Webinar
• 2023 SNF Guidance Training Program

Please email regulatory@ahca.org with any questions.