The Discrepancy Notification Report (DNR) Excel Template Has Been Updated for the CY 2024 APU
folder_openOther Announcementscalendar_todayPosted April 21, 2022

A new Discrepancy Notification Report (DNR) template, covering the sample months of January 2022 through March 2023, 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 a separate column for each piece of information that the Coordination Team and CMS need to evaluate a DNR submission. The revised Excel template still 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 2022 through March of 2023. 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 should 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 encourages the use of the template for all DNR submissions, even if it is only for one CCN, to ensure that all required fields are provided.
• 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 is provided via the template (using language such as “see spreadsheet”). 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.