OAS CAHPS Survey Administration Reminders
folder_openSurvey Specifications and Guidelinescalendar_todayPosted February 26, 2016

During these early months of voluntary national implementation, we wanted to provide the following helpful information, reminders, and assurances.

Late Starts to Data Collection
Some participating facilities will be administering OAS CAHPS for their January patients; many other participating facilities are not yet ready to begin but expect to be ready in the upcoming months.

Vendors who are unable to initiate the survey by the 21st day after the sample month has ended are permitted to start the survey between the 22nd and 26th day after the sample month has ended, with no prior approval needed. However, a Discrepancy Notification Report (DNR) must be submitted via the OAS CAHPS website to document the situation.

If the survey cannot be initiated within 26 days after the close of the sample month, CMS may approve requests for it to be initiated more than 26 days after the sample month ended. To begin the survey 26 days after the close of the sample month, please send an email to the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team at oascahps@rti.org and include: the CCN, the reason for the delay, and the expected date the survey will be initiated. No DNR is needed when vendors submit these e mail requests. Instead, the Coordination Team will retain the e-mail as documentation of the request to initiate the survey more than 26 days after the sample month ends. We expect CMS to be extremely accommodating of late starts in these early months of voluntary implementation.

However, as a reminder, all data collection for each monthly sample must be completed within 6 weeks (42 days) after data collection begins.

Ineligible Procedures/Surgeries
Vendors and facilities need methodical procedures to remove ineligible procedures/surgeries from the sample frame. If you are having trouble finding a way to do this because CPT/G codes are not available, please consult the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team for assistance.

Data Submission and Missed Sample Months
Looking towards your first data submission of Quarter 1 2016 data (Jan, Feb, March sample months) in July 2016: we expect many vendors will lack survey data for the beginning sample months. This is entirely acceptable. Prior to submitting your data to the OAS CAHPS Data Center, please submit a DNR noting the month(s) that are absent from your data file and the reason for the absence, for example, “the facility was unable to provide the required patient information files until the March 2016 sample month”.

Please contact the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team via e-mail at oascahps@rti.org or call toll-free (866) 590-7468 if you have any questions.