MDS 3.0 for Nursing Homes and Swing Bed Providers

MDS 3.0 History

Importance

The MDS is a powerful tool for implementing standardized assessment and for facilitating care management in nursing homes (NHs) and non-critical access hospital swing beds (SBs). Its content has implications for residents, families, providers, researchers, and policymakers, all of whom have expressed concerns about the reliability, validity, and relevance of MDS 2.0. Some argue that because MDS 2.0 fails to include items that rely on direct resident interview, it fails to obtain critical information and effectively disenfranchises many residents from the assessment process. In addition, many users and government agencies have expressed concerns about MDS 2.0 data quality and validity. Other stakeholders contend that items used in other care settings should be included to improve communication across providers.

MDS 3.0 has been designed to improve the reliability, accuracy, and usefulness of the MDS, to include the resident in the assessment process, and to use standard protocols used in other settings. These improvements have profound implications for NH and SB care and public policy. Enhanced accuracy supports the primary legislative intent that MDS be a tool to improve clinical assessment and supports the credibility of programs that rely on MDS.

MDS 3.0 - What's New

June 20, 2012: MDS 3.0 Frequency Reports

The MDS Frequency Report summarizes information for residents currently in nursing homes. The source of these counts is the resident's MDS assessment record. The MDS assessment information for each active nursing home resident is consolidated to create a profile of the most recent standard information for the resident.

To access the report, select the link labeled “MDS 3.0 Frequency Report” located in the Related Links section of this page.

October 1, 2010: MDS 3.0 Implementation

May 13, 2010:

The following content previously available on this page has been relocated to a new "MDS 3.0 Training Materials" page:

• MDS 3.0 RAI Manual
  
• MDS 3.0 RAI Item Sub Sets
  
• MDS 3.0 Q&A
  
• Consolidated States Section S items
  
• MDS 3.0 ADL Flowchart
  
• MDS 3.0 Satellite Broadcast Part I

The new training material page can be accessed by selecting the link labeled "MDS 3.0 Training Materials" located in the box above labeled "Nursing Home Quality Initiatives."

MDS 3.0 Information

The following files are now available under the Downloads section of this page:

• RAND MDS3.0 Final Study Report and Appendices 2008

The information listed below under the "Downloads" section is subject to change. CMS will communicate any changes to these materials on this page as well as through Open Door Forums hosted by CMS.