Key Updates to CMS Nursing Home Performance Data

Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing on the Nursing Home Care Compare website:

• Performance data published: CMS will display overall Five-Star ratings, healthinspection ratings, staffing, and quality measure ratings.
• Health inspection ratings: Going forward, ratings will be based on the last two standardsurveys (instead of the previous three). The most recent survey will now carry 75% ofthe weight, which may significantly affect many facilities’ ratings.
• Antipsychotic use measures: Updates to long-stay antipsychotic measures willincorporate additional data for more accurate reporting. This change takes effectOctober 29, 2025.
• COVID-19 vaccination measure removed: As of July 30, 2025, COVID-19 vaccinationstatus will no longer be displayed on each nursing home’s main profile.

Key Focus Areas for Survey Readiness

Infection Prevention & Enhanced Barrier Precautions (F880)

• Best Practice: Promote hand hygiene, conduct PPE training, and perform complianceaudits during rounds to ensure staff adherence.
• CMS Expectation: Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) must be applied for residentswith chronic wounds, indwelling devices, or other risk factors for infection.

Nursing Staff & Facility Assessments

• Best Practice: Regularly update staffing requirements based on resident assessments.Conduct facility assessments more often than annually to stay ahead of resident needs.Provide ongoing training to ensure staff competencies.
• CMS Expectation: Facilities should be able to easily present assessments that identifystaffing needs, demonstrate staff competencies, and address resident carerequirements.

Appropriate Antipsychotic Use

• Best Practice: Audit antipsychotic prescriptions regularly to identify inappropriate oroff-label use. Ensure proper documentation, establish diagnoses, and document allnon-pharmacological interventions attempted before medication use. SpecialtyRx canprovide reports to help your facility monitor antipsychotic use.
• CMS Expectation: Facilities should prioritize non-pharmacological interventions, limitthe use of psychotropic medications, document diagnoses accurately, and pursuegradual dose reductions whenever possible.
• Best Practice: Perform thorough preadmission screenings to ensure your facility canmeet a resident’s needs. Once admitted, the facility is responsible for providingnecessary care. Review all information before admission to avoid involuntarydischarges. If discharge is necessary, document all efforts made to resolve issuesbeforehand.
• CMS Expectation: Facilities must follow all legal protocols, provide proper notice, anddocument that all options were explored before an involuntary discharge.

Staying informed about these changes — and implementing best practices in advance — willhelp ensure your facility is survey-ready, protect your ratings, and ultimately support betterresident care.

Your Secret Survey Asset: Your Account Executive

If you’re an administrator, DON or ADON, think of your pharmacy’s Account Executive (AE) asan extension of your own quality team. An AE’s visits can be more than routine check-ins.They are trained and experienced in being able to:

• Audit med rooms and carts proactively to catch expired medications, missing labels, orstorage issues long before a surveyor does.
• Identify workflow gaps—from documentation to cart organization—and proposeimmediate, practical solutions.
• Provide staff support and training on pharmacy-related processes, easing pressure onyour nurses and ensuring consistency across shifts.
• Communicate promptly with the pharmacy’s operations team so that any necessaryreplacements or clarifications can occur without delay.