ADL Deficit Count Variable
folder_openChanges to Protocols and Guidelines, Data Submissionscalendar_todayPosted June 30, 2011

The HHCAHPS Coordination Team is issuing guidance regarding coding the Count of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) Deficits on the XML data files for which the sample patient is not fully independent. As you know, home health agencies (HHAs) can provide ADL information in one of two ways:

• The total count of ADLs for which the sample member is NOT fully independent,
  OR
• The value for each individual ADL data field.

If the HHA provides the value for each individual ADL data field (rather than the total ADL count), some HHCAHPS Survey Vendors have been using the HHA-provided values to calculate and report on the XML data file only the total count of ADLs for which the sample member is not fully independent.

Effective immediately, HHCAHPS Vendors should enter on the XML file the same information that is provided by the HHA. That is, if the HHA provides a total count of ADL deficits, that value should be entered as the variable on the XML file.

Alternatively, if the HHA provides the value for each individual ADL, vendors should enter on the XML file the value provided by the HHA for each individual ADL.

This means that vendors must include in the XML file the same ADL data that the HHA includes on the Monthly Patient Information File for a patient, either the total count of deficits or the value for each individual ADL (e.g., M, 0, 1, 2). However, if no ADL Deficit Count information is supplied by the HHA, then this variable should be left as Missing on the XML data files.

The Coordination Team realizes that some vendors may wish to compute and report a value for the Total ADL Deficits for their HHA clients, which is fine; however, the computed variable should not be included on XML data files.