GAO Recommendations

Originally posted July 12, 2006

The GAO developed thirteen recommendations based on their investigation of CMS, CAP, JCAHO, COLA and the other state agencies. The recommendations are aimed at CMS and what it should do and how it should change. Here's a quick list in plain English:

1. Standardize survey findings
2. Ensure consistent advance notice by state survey agencies
3. Ensure identifying deficiences comes before education
4. Impose sanctions on labs with consecutive failures
5. Require all survey organizations to require whistle-blower posters
6. Require quarterly proficiency testing
7. Ensure timely evaluation of survey organizations
8. Ensure that new survey rules are reviewed in a timely manner
9. Hire more staff
10. Perform more validation inspections of state survey organizations
11. Require more independent validation of survey organizations
12. Collect and review more survey data
13. Establish an enforcement database

Some of these recommendations are common sense. Some of them are bizarre. Most of them will do nothing to address the real problem with the quality of laboratory testing.

To read in detail - and see the recommendations in the original bureaucratese - read the essay we've posted.