CMS Systems Improvement Agreement Services
Are you a psychiatric hospital that’s been through Immediate Jeopardy with CMS? And follow-up surveys with repeat Condition level deficiencies?
Are you now considering a Systems Improvement Agreement (SIA) with CMS? If so, our expert SIA services bring you the prowess you need to fulfill your SIA and retain your Medicare certification and Medicare reimbursement.
CMS Systems Improvement Agreement: How it Works
A SIA is a voluntary, legal agreement between CMS and a Medicare certified hospital. The SIA is essentially an alternative to terminating the hospital from the Medicare program.
Prior to the use of SIAs, the typical path for a hospital receiving an Immediate Jeopardy finding was to quickly submit a corrective action plan and undergo resurvey(s). If the resurveys continued to identify Condition level deficiencies, the hospital was on the path to Medicare decertification. Navigating this path effectively, requires the assistance of skilled Systems Improvement Agreement consultants.
Focus on Long Term Improvements
The SIA approach that CMS now selectively employs is to give the hospital time to focus on long term, sustainable improvements while continuing to receive Medicare funding.
The SIA requires the hospital to obtain an external, independent consultant review of hospital operations. In addition, the hospital must hire an independent, full-time, on-site compliance officer for the duration of the agreement. Once these steps have been completed, the hospital must undergo a resurvey by CMS.
CMS Approval of SIA Consultants
CMS must approve the hospital’s choice of the external independent consultant for the SIA.
Barrins & Associates has been approved by CMS to fulfill the role of external, independent Systems Improvement Agreement consultants. In order to receive this approval, we had to meet the following criteria:
- Expertise in behavioral healthcare regulatory compliance
- Knowledge of best practices in the behavioral healthcare industry
- Experience in evaluating psychiatric hospitals’ compliance with CMS CoPs
- Experience in leading Quality Assessment/Performance Improvement programs in psychiatric hospitals
Systems Improvement Agreement Services
When our team of SIA expert consultants works with psychiatric hospitals on their Systems Improvement Agreements, we work side by side with your team and provide the following services:
- Conduct a gap analysis to evaluate your hospital’s compliance with CMS Conditions of Participation (CoPs)
- Perform a root cause analysis to determine the underlying causes of noncompliance
- Assist you with development of a corrective action plan acceptable to CMS
- Provide technical assistance to prepare you for resurvey by CMS
- Conduct a mock survey as final preparation for the CMS resurvey
Your benefits:
- You have the confidence of knowing you’ve partnered with experienced Systems Improvement Agreement consultants.
- You work alongside our team to develop long term solutions, not just quick fixes.
- You approach your CMS resurvey positioned for success.
Why Choose Barrins & Associates for your SIA Services?
We know what it takes to navigate the journey of implementing a SIA for CMS. Our expert SIA consultants have worked with psychiatric hospitals across the country to fulfill their SIAs, have successful resurveys, and maintain their Medicare certification.
If you’re a psychiatric hospital that needs experienced SIA consultants, call us at 1-888-742-4621 to discuss your needs or fill out our online contact form.