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Announcement

The Discrepancy Notification Report (DNR) Excel Template Has Been Updated for the CY2017 APU
folder_openOther Announcementscalendar_todayPosted April 20, 2015

A new Discrepancy Notification Report (DNR) template, covering the sample months of January 2015 through March 2016, is now available for use by survey vendors. To access the template, log onto the HHCAHPS Website, go to the "Forms for Vendors" tab, and click on the "Discrepancy Notification Report" link. A link to the template is available under Section III of the online DNR form.

As a reminder, the template contains fields for each of the pieces of information that the Coordination Team and CMS need to evaluate each DNR submission. As with the current Excel template, the revised Excel template has three tabs: sample fielded late (Late Start), sample not fielded at all (Missed Sampled Month), and "other reason" (Other). Each tab has prepopulated fields for the period covering the sample months of January 2015 through March of 2016. Below are some reminders for using this template:

  • Submit a new template (i.e., Excel file) for each new DNR. The Excel file should only include information for the reported discrepancy. Check to make sure that information about previously reported discrepancies is not included in any of the tabs.
  • If you need to update a DNR that was submitted with an accompanying Excel file, you must also update the accompanying online DNR. For auditing purposes, the information in both the online DNR form and template must match; the Coordination Team cannot make changes to either of these documents.
  • Vendors may use the template to report discrepancies for one or more CCNs. The DNR form asks vendors to submit an accompanying Excel file if the DNR covers more than five CCNs; however, the Coordination Team welcomes the use of the template for all DNR submissions, even if it is only for one CCN.
  • If you are using the Excel template, it is not necessary to repeat the information you provide in the template in Sections II and III of the online DNR form; instead, you may indicate on the online DNR form in Sections II and III that more information about the discrepancy is provided via the template (using language such as "see spreadsheet"). Note too that you should indicate that you are submitting an Excel spreadsheet by checking the box in Section III.
  • Do not add columns or change the order of columns in the template.

If you have any questions about this announcement, please contact the HHCAHPS Survey Coordination Team via e-mail at hhcahps@rti.org or call toll-free at (866) 354-0985.