AHCA/NCAL has prepared a document which clarifies the CMS/CDC description of the data quality assurance (QA) process (found in the ‘detailed explanation’ on Data.CMS.gov) for the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

AHCA is working with the agencies to figure out which metrics that particular SNFs are failing the QA process. SNFs that fail QA for the week do not receive a citation from CMS. This only informs SNFs that the algorithm designed by CMS indicates that the numbers may not be plausible and aims to reduce inaccuracies in the public reporting of these data. Facilities will have their data values reassigned to 0 in the public NHSN weekly data if flagged for not passing QA (unless otherwise noted) and data may be subject to review by CMS.