Nursing Home Quality: Implementation of the Quality Indicator Survey

This report discusses the approach that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking to implement the Quality Indicator Survey (QIS) nationally. CMS developed the QIS--a new electronic process used to conduct nursing home inspections--to provide a more reliable assessment of the quality of care in nursing homes. Congress asked us to review the implementation of the QIS. As Congress requested, this report provides background information on the nursing home inspection process and describes the approach CMS is taking to implement the QIS.