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Using the Minimum Data Set (MDS) to Facilitate Nursing Home Transition

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Authors
Reinhard, Susan C.
Hendrickson, Leslie
Bemis, Ann
Date of Publication
August, 2005
Publication Type
Brief
Focus Area
Long-Term Services and Support
Source
Rutgers Center for State Health Policy
Since 1998, CMS has invested in state and local efforts to identify strategies that support nursing home transitions. An essential component of those transitions is identifying nursing home residents who prefer to receive care in a community or home-based setting.The report provides information about the Long-Term Care Minimum Data Set (MDS) and how it can be used to assist state agencies who want to improve their nursing home transition efforts. Because certain sections of the MDS contain information about nursing home residents’ discharge preferences and functional status, it has a potential use in identifying nursing home residents that may qualify for transition to home and community-based centers. The report summarizes the history and uses of the MDS with detailed subsections on the availability of data use agreements for state government agencies. The authors also provide examples that discuss how MDS data can be used in nursing home transition projects.