CHC dialysis center passes CMS survey

The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.’s dialysis center has been found in compliance with regulations by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, which won’t be taking action at this time to terminate the hospital’s participation in the Medicare program.

“After careful review of the Sept. 15, 2014, survey results, CMS has determined that your End-Stage Renal Disease dialysis center is now in compliance. …This office, therefore, will not be taking any action at this time to terminate the Commonwealth Health Center’s participation in the Medicare program,” said Steven Chickering, CMS associate regional administrator, in a letter to CHCC chief executive officer Esther Muña.

According to Muña, the survey CMS did in September comprised two different surveys that have different Medicare numbers. This meant the dialysis center had a separate survey while the overall corporation and the hospital had another.

Muna expressed relief over the CMS decision, saying this is good for the dialysis center. She said they are still waiting for the results of the survey CMS did on the overall hospital itself.

CHCC faces three options: an extension of time to address specific concerns; recertification of the hospital’s condition of participation in Medicare; or outright termination of the hospital’s condition of participation in Medicare.

Although the dialysis center received a positive outcome, CMS did cite a standard-level deficiency: the lack of a renal dietitian that is registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

“Interview with the medical director during the survey on Sept. 15, 2014, revealed that the facility did not currently have a registered dietitian on staff. While the medical director stated that the facility had been actively hiring a qualified dietitian and had recently received notification of interest from a prospective applicant who might be available in November 2014, an offer for the position, however, had not been made,” CMS stated in its deficiency statement.

Muna noted that they have already forwarded their plan of correction—that they have a registered dietitian who is ready to be employed by Jan. 19, 2014.

“We’re good and that one deficiency had already been addressed and the registered dietitian will be coming in next year and we have cleared out all the things that they found for the dialysis center,” Muña said.

“We got that already for the dialysis side. Now we are waiting on CMS’ decision for the hospital overall,” she added.