Good morning friends!
As a hospice provider with many facility patients, we are trying to find ways to be good partners with our facilities in light of these new regulations.
The new regulations for facilities (found in F605 here https://www.cms.gov/files/document/revised-long-term-care-ltc-surveyor-guidance-significant-revisions-enhance-quality-and-oversight-ltc.pdf) require a direct evaluation by the prescribing provider whenever anti-psychotic med PRNs are going to be extended beyond 14 days.
Does anyone have any guidance about whether this evaluation must be in-person, or can it be conducted via telemedicine? The phrase "in-person" is not actually used anywhere in the regulation that I can see.
Also wondering if anyone knows if those same rules apply for scheduled meds, not just PRN? One of our facility partners said they are required to evaluate every 60 days for folks on scheduled anti-psychotics/psychotropics, but I can't find that in the regulations anywhere.
Your thoughts are greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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Chad Thurman
Circle of Life HospiceNurse Director of Quality and Compliance
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