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Announcement

Quality Check Reminders for Vendors Submitting Data
folder_openData Submissionscalendar_todayPosted October 2, 2012

The Coordination Team is issuing this announcement and e-mail message to all HHCAHPS-approved vendors to remind vendors of some quality control checks that should be done prior to submitting data files to the HHCAHPS Data Center.

Please check your XML data files for internal logic and consistency. For example,

  • The number of eligible patients included in the variable on the file should always be equal to or smaller than the number of patients the agency served during the sample month ( ). It should never be more than the number of patients served.
  • The number of patients eligible () must be equal to or larger than the number of patients sampled ().
  • The number of patients sampled () must be equal to or less than the number of patients served ( ).
  • The sample month on each file should reflect a sample month in the quarter being submitted. Check your files to make sure that the sample month is not for an upcoming data submission quarter. Note that the Data Center will not accept files for sample months in a preceding quarter, but it will accept files for sample months in the next quarter. Keep in mind that if you submit a file for an incorrect sample month, it will appear that the HHA did not administer the survey for a sample month. This type of error will impact the HHA’s eligibility for the annual payment update.
  • Similarly, make sure that the sample month on the file correctly indicates the month in which the sample patients received skilled home health care.
  • Make sure that you check that the sample identification (SID) number for each record included on the XML file has never been assigned before. Remember that a SID number cannot be assigned more than once.
  • Also check the file to make sure that the SID number does not appear more than once on the file.
  • The total number of patients for which you have included administrative information in the patient administrative section of the XML file must equal the number of patients sampled.
  • Check to make sure that you have assigned the correct final disposition code to sample members. Some vendors have assigned a noninterview disposition code to sample patients for which there are completed survey response data that passed the completeness criteria.
  • Please make sure that you do not submit a zero-eligible file for an HHA that did not submit a monthly patient information file for a sample month.
  • Also check your vendor authorization report to make sure that all of your client HHAs have authorized your organization to submit HHCAHPS Survey data files on their behalf.

Also check your vendor authorization report to make sure that all of your client HHAs have authorized your organization to submit HHCAHPS Survey data files on their behalf. In addition, please remind your HHA clients that they make sure that if they enter an “end date” on the vendor authorization form, the End Date they enter is after the “start date.” However, the Coordination Team still encourages HHAs to leave the “end date” blank wherever possible.

Also please be reminded that the deadline for CY12,Q2 is coming up in a few short weeks. We strongly encourage you to submit files now so that you will have time to correct the files if they are not accepted.

Please contact the HHCAHPS Coordination Team at hhcahps@rti.org if you have any questions.