The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued significant revisions to its long-term care surveyor guidance, scheduled to take effect on March 24, 2025. PharMerica hosted a recent webinar, 2025 Updates to State Operations Manual Signify Impending CMS Surveyor Focus, and has developed several accompanying resources to help facilities understand and prepare for the upcoming changes.
While the SOM revisions address a wide range of issues, they place particular emphasis on unnecessary medications, chemical restraints, and the appropriate use of psychotropics. Our new article, part 1 of a 4-part series, spotlights these changes.
F605 (Free from Chemical Restraints) is one F-tag featuring extensive revisions, including the incorporation of regulations previously cited under the now removed F758 (Free from Unnecessary Psychotropic Meds/PRN Use). These changes are detailed in our new Compliance Cue.
Did You Know? Medications with Shortened Expiration Dates
Once certain products are opened and in use, they must be used within a specific timeframe to avoid reduced stability, sterility, and potentially reduced efficacy. This abridged list, newly updated, covers some common medications whose package inserts detail shortened expirations once in use.
GEMTESA® (vibegron) Receives New FDA Indication for Treatment of Men with OAB Symptoms Receiving Treatment for BPH
The FDA has approved GEMTESA® (vibegron), a beta-3 (β3) adrenergic receptor agonist, for the treatment of men with overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms who are receiving pharmacological therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This approval marks GEMTESA as the first and only β3 agonist approved to treat patients living with OAB and being treated for BPH.
This session will focus on the new data items currently being used to create the provider specific Quality Measure reports. The newly recalculated Quality Measure reports (IQIES) can impact 5-Star Levels, Value Based Purchasing Calculations, and Quality Reporting Program reports. Join us for a candid review of the new processes and strategies for successful implementation.
The Pain Points of Pain Management: Navigating Opioid Use Regulations in Long-Term Care
Tuesday, April 8
1:00 PM ET
This session addresses Opioid Stewardship as a means to improve pain management outcomes and opioid use in the LTC environment. Recent CMS updates to the State Operations Manual include revisions to opioid-related regulations, suggesting continued surveyor focus on this area. We'll explore ways to align your facility’s approach to opioid prescribing, monitoring, and pain management with contemporary guidelines.
