The Newly Revised F-Tag 315 and Surveyor Guidance for Urinary Incontinence in Long-Term Care

Abstract

Recently there was a symposium held in a midwestern state to brief those working in long-term care about the recent changes in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) F-Tag 315, the management of urinary incontinence. A national physician expert on urinary incontinence had been invited to speak. The turnout for the event was surprising in a positive manner, with more than 500 individuals present and nearly every county in the state was represented. The audience was energetic and interested. During the question and answer period, audience members discussed their own success stories and challenges in the management of urinary incontinence. They also shared their recent experiences with surveyors, as several decried the punitive and antagonistic nature of the survey process. The speaker answered queries from the audience, and stayed after the address to answer several questions from individuals who remained. What might have seemed a successful example of collaboration was tempered by one realization: according to the registration sheet, there was not a single medical director or any physician in attendance. While this may just be an isolated phenomenon, there is additional information to suggest otherwise. Have medical directors and primary care health professionals in long-term care left the responsibility for urinary incontinence management to the facilities and their nursing staff? If so, why? Do medical directors and primary care health professionals have the expertise to help improve the quality of life of their incontinent long-term care residents? How might physician involvement change with the new F-Tag 315 and surveyor guidance for management of urinary incontinence? This article will discuss several features of the revised F-Tag 315 and surveyor guidance for urinary incontinence, briefly