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Announcements

The most recent 20 announcements issued by the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team are posted below.

 

Authorizing a Survey Vendor for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey
Posted 8/3/2020

All in-center hemodialysis (ICH) facilities that are administering the ICH CAHPS Survey for the first time or are switching to a different ICH CAHPS Survey vendor to administer the 2020 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey must update their vendor authorization on the ICH CAHPS website by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on August 31, 2020. Please note you must update the online vendor authorization only if the following applies.

  • Your facility is participating in the ICH CAHPS Survey for the first time during the 2020 Fall Survey; OR
  • Your facility is switching to a different survey vendor to administer the 2020 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey; OR
  • Your facility entered the 2020 Spring Survey as the last survey period for which the vendor would administer the survey when you originally submitted the vendor authorization form.

If your organization will continue to use the same ICH CAHPS Survey vendor that was used to administer the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey (or the 2019 Fall Survey, if you did not participate in the 2020 Spring Survey due to the pandemic exemption), you do not need to update the online vendor authorization form.

If any of the above bulleted statements apply to your facility, you must update the online vendor authorization form for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey on the ICH CAHPS website by the August 31, 2020 deadline. If the online vendor authorization form is not updated by the deadline, a sample will not be provided to a survey vendor, which means the 2020 Fall Survey cannot be administered.

The steps for authorizing a vendor on the ICH CAHPS website are as follows:

  • Log in to the ICH CAHPS website here.
  • From your personal dashboard, click “Authorize a Vendor.” The system will then take you to the Authorize a Vendor page.
  • From the “Select Action” drop-down list on the Authorize a Vendor page:
    • If authorizing a vendor for the first time on the website: Select the “Select a vendor for the first time” option.
    • If changing/switching to a different vendor: Select the “Switch to a different vendor” option.
  • Select the name of your survey vendor from the vendor drop-down list.
  • Select the Beginning Survey Period for your new vendor. In this instance, you would select "2020 Fall Survey."
  • Do not enter an end date for your survey vendor unless you know that you will not be using this vendor for the 2021 Spring Survey.
  • Select the CCN(s) of the ICH facility (or facilities) to which the authorization applies.
  • Click the “Submit” button.

Please note: No changes to vendor authorizations will be accepted for the 2020 Fall Survey after 5:00 PM Eastern Time on August 31, 2020.

Please contact the ICH CAHPS Survey Coordination Team at 1–866–245–8083 or via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org if you have any questions or need more information about the 2020 ICH CAHPS Surveys.

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Proposed ESRD Prospective Payment System Rule for Calendar Year 2021
Posted 7/28/2020

The ESRD Prospective Payment System (PPS) proposed rule for calendar year 2021, which was published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2020, is now available here.

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Reminder: Only One Week before the Data Submission Deadline for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey
Posted July 22, 2020

The deadline for submitting data files from the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey to the Data Center is at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, which is 1 week from today. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will not accept any data files after that date and time.

We strongly encourage vendors who have not submitted an XML file for any of their facility clients to begin submitting as soon as possible. Remember that vendors must submit their data files in time to correct and re-submit any files that do not pass the overnight validation checks.

Please note that if any of your participating client facility CCNs chose to not submit data to the Data Center based on the Covid-19 exemption, and you have not yet provided a list of these CCNs to the Coordination Team (CT), your XML file will not be accepted. The CT must remove these CCNs from the data submission system prior to your submission. Please email the CT with a list of CCNs that fit this scenario as soon as possible.

Please feel free to contact the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team via email or through the toll-free number if you have any questions or need help with data submissions.

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ICH CAHPS Coordination Team Semi-Annual Review (CTSAR) Newsletter – July 2020 Edition
Posted July 16, 2020

The ICH CAHPS Team has published the July 2020 edition of the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team Semi-Annual Review (CTSAR). As a reminder, this newsletter is a way to provide in-center hemodialysis (ICH) facilities and survey vendors with helpful ICH CAHPS information.

The CTSAR will be posted on the ICH CAHPS website and updated every January and July. You can navigate to the July 2020 newsletter located under the General Information tab on the ICH CAHPS website or click here to view it now.

The CTSAR does not replace any source of information currently on the ICH CAHPS website; instead, it highlights important information for readers prior to each survey period. We encourage you to visit the ICH CAHPS website for more information on the items mentioned in this newsletter. Please continue to monitor the ICH CAHPS website for updates and announcements.

Please contact the Coordination Team via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org or call 1-866-245-8083 if you have any questions or need more information.

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Reminder: Only 2 Weeks before the Data Submission Deadline for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey
Posted July 15, 2020

As a reminder, the deadline for submitting data files from the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey to the Data Center is at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, which is only 2 weeks away. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will not accept any data files after that date and time.

We strongly encourage vendors to begin submitting XML files as soon as possible following the end of data collection. Remember that vendors should submit their data files in time for them to correct and re-submit any files that do not pass the overnight validation checks.

Please note that if any of your participating client facility CCNs chose to not submit data to the Data Center based on the Covid-19 exemption, and you have not yet provided a list of these CCNs to the Coordination Team (CT), your XML file will not be accepted. The CT must remove these CCNs from the data submission system prior to your submission. Please email the CT with a list of CCNs that fit this scenario as soon as possible.

Please feel free to contact the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team via email or through the toll-free number if you have any questions or need help with data submissions.

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Reminder: Only 3 Weeks before the Data Submission Deadline for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey
Posted July 8, 2020

As a reminder, data collection for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey ends on Friday, July 10, 2020. The deadline for submitting data files from the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey to the Data Center is at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, which is only 3 weeks away. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will not accept any data files after that date and time.

As XML files are uploaded to the ICH CAHPS Data Center a series of validation checks are made, one of which is a check to ensure that a patient-level record is included on the XML file for every case that was sampled for a CCN. Please note the following.

  • If the number of cases you include on an XML file does not match the number sampled, an error or warning message will appear on your data submission report.
  • If the error message appears for one or more of your CCNs, please make sure that you have entered information about each sampled case on the XML file.
  • Please note that if any of your participating client facility CCNs chose to not submit data to the Data Center based on the Covid-19 exemption, and you have not yet provided a list of these CCNs to the Coordination Team (CT), your XML file will not be accepted. The CT must remove these CCNs from the data submission system prior to your submission. Please email the CT with a list of CCNs that fit this scenario as soon as possible.

Also be reminded that survey vendors:

  • should submit their files as soon as possible to allow adequate time to correct any problems identified and re-submit the files before the deadline; and
  • can submit a file for a CCN as many times as needed; however, keep in mind that each time a file for a CCN is re-submitted, it overwrites the file that was submitted previously.

Please feel free to contact the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team via email or through the toll-free number if you have any questions or need help with data submissions.

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Reminder of Upcoming Deadline for Submitting Facility-Specific Questions for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey for Approval 
Jul 02, 2020

This is a reminder that ICH CAHPS Survey vendors must submit all facility-specific questions that they plan to add to the 2020 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey to the Coordination Team for review and approval. If any of your in-center hemodialysis (ICH) facility clients are planning to add any new facility-specific questions to the 2020 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey, please send those questions and their proposed placement to the Coordination Team via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org before 5:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) on August 7, 2020.

Please note that facility-specific questions that were approved by the Coordination Team for use in previous survey periods do not need to be approved again unless the wording or response options have changed.

The Coordination Team will accept facility-specific questions for review after the August 7, 2020 deadline; however, approval of those questions may not be granted in time for the questions to be included in the 2020 Fall Survey. Survey vendors should work with their client ICH facilities to decide on the use of new facility-specific questions and submit the questions to the Coordination Team as soon as possible to avoid a delay in approval.

Please contact the Coordination Team via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org or by calling 1-888-245-8083 if you have any questions.

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Tentative Data Collection Schedule for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey 
Jun 29, 2020

The tentative data collection schedule and the dates for some key activities related to the 2020 In-Center Hemodialysis CAHPS (ICH CAHPS) Fall Survey are shown below. Please note that these dates are subject to change, especially given the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 and its potential impacts on the ICH CAHPS Survey. Should a schedule change occur, an announcement will be emailed and posted.

Activity Date
Submit New Facility-Specific Questions to CMS 8/7/2020
Deadline for Authorizing a Vendor for 2019 Fall Survey1 8/31/2020
Deadline (for vendors) to Review Vendor Authorization Report and Notify the Coordination Team of any Authorization Issues 9/2/2020
   
Sampling Window TBD2
Sample Files Uploaded on ICH CAHPS Website 9/25/2020
Vendors Attest to Receipt of Sample File 9/29/2020
Mail Prenotification Letter 10/16/2020
Mail 1st Questionnaire (mail only and mixed mode)/Begin Telephone data collection (phone only mode) 10/30/2020
Mail 2nd Questionnaire (mail only)/Begin phone follow-up (mixed mode) 12/2/2020
Data Collection Ends 1/8/2021
Vendors Clean/Process Final Data and Construct XML File 1/8/2021–1/26/2021
Deadline for Submitting XML Data File to ICH Data Center 1/27/2021

1 Only ICH facilities that will be switching to a different survey vendor and those that will be participating in the ICH CAHPS Survey for the first time will need to complete the online vendor authorization form.

2 Due to facilities receiving an exemption on entering data into CROWNWeb for the sampling months, the fall sampling window may deviate from the normal months for the 2020 Fall Survey. 

Please contact the Coordination Team via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org or call 1-866-245-8083 if you have any questions or need more information about the 2020 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey.

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RTI International will be closed July 3, 2020 (In observance of Independence Day) 
Jun 29, 2020

RTI International will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2020, in observance of the July 4th, Independence Day holiday. The ICH CAHPS Coordination Team will respond to email and telephone technical assistance inquiries that are received on that date as soon as possible after RTI re-opens on Monday, July 6, 2020.

Please contact the Coordination Team via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org or call 1-866-245-8083 if you have any questions.

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RTI International will be closed May 25, 2020 for the Memorial Day Holiday 
May 20, 2020

RTI International will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2020 for the Memorial Day holiday.  The ICH CAHPS Coordination Team will respond to email and telephone technical assistance inquiries that are received on that date as soon as possible after RTI re-opens on Tuesday, May 26, 2020.

Please contact the Coordination Team via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org or call 1-866-245-8083 if you have any questions.

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Patient-Mix Coefficients, Star Ratings, and Average State and National Scores for the ICH CAHPS Survey Results Publicly Reported in April 2020 
Apr 23, 2020

The ICH CAHPS Survey results that are currently posted on Dialysis Facility Compare (DFC) on the medicare.gov website are based on ICH CAHPS Survey data from the 2018 ICH CAHPS Fall and 2019 ICH CAHPS Spring Surveys.

Patient-Mix Coefficients and Star Ratings for the 2020 April Refresh

The results shown are statistically adjusted for both data collection mode and for patient-mix. Information about the adjustments made to the survey results and the coefficients used to adjust the results can be found here. Information presented in this document will allow ICH facilities to approximate the effect of patient-mix adjustment on their ICH CAHPS Survey results that were posted on DFC in April 2020. This document also includes additional information on the clustering method used to create ICH CAHPS Star Ratings (Appendix A).

Spring and Fall Average State and National Scores for the 2020 April Refresh

In addition, you can click here to see the state and national averages for the three ICH CAHPS composite measures and the three global ratings based on the combined data from these two survey periods. The average response rate for each state and the overall response rate are also provided in this document.

Please contact the ICH CAHPS Survey Coordination Team at 1–866–245–8083 or via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org if you have any questions.

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Reminder: Deadline for Submitting an Updated 2020 ICH CAHPS Quality Assurance Plan is March 31, 2020 
Mar 25, 2020

This is a friendly reminder that the deadline for ICH CAHPS Survey vendors to submit the annual Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) is 11:59 PM Eastern Time on March 31, 2020. If you need more time due to COVID-19, please let us know as soon as possible.

The QAP must describe how the survey vendor will implement, comply with, and provide oversight of all survey and data processing activities associated with the ICH CAHPS Survey. To ensure prompt review and acceptance of your Update QAP, please follow the procedures listed below:

  • Locate the version of your most recently approved QAP; that is, the version that was accepted by CMS and the Coordination Team in 2019.
  • Make a copy of that version and accept all tracked changes, creating a clean copy of your QAP.
  • Make all 2020 updates to your clean copy using track changes, so that your document reflects only the changes made since your most recent approved QAP.
  • Make sure to include updates to your QAP if your organization has had changes in ICH CAHPS Survey personnel, changes to protocols or procedures, and/or changes in approved survey mode(s).
  • Make sure your QAP follows the format shown in the Model QAP posted on the ICH CAHPS website. Also make sure that you provide information for every topic included in the Model QAP.
  • Before submitting your update QAP, check it carefully to make sure that it reflects all ICH CAHPS Survey protocols disseminated via announcements posted on the ICH CAHPS website and/or described in the latest version of the Survey Administration and Specifications Manual.
  • Submit your QAP online via the ICH CAHPS website by accessing the Submit Quality Assurance Plan option under the “For Vendors” menu on the grey bar at the top of the website’s home page (https://ichcahps.org/).

The QAP must be updated and submitted annually on or before March 31 of each year and at any time the vendor has a change in ICH CAHPS personnel, capabilities, or systems that are used to administer the ICH CAHPS Survey. Remember that you must also update your online ICH CAHPS Vendor Application Form if you have been approved to add/drop survey modes, changed key personnel and/or subcontractors, and/or have changed your business name or location.

Please note that if your operations have temporarily changed due to COVID-19, those changes do not need to be detailed in the QAP at this time. We are working with CMS on what, if any, documentation is needed for this and will ask for any required information separately.

Please contact the ICH CAHPS Survey Coordination Team at 1-866-245-8083 or via email at ichcahps@rti.org if you have any questions about the QAP update process or deadline.

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Deadline for Authorizing a Survey Vendor for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey is TOMORROW, February 28, 2020 
Feb 27, 2020

This is a reminder that all in-center hemodialysis (ICH) facilities that are administering the ICH CAHPS Survey for the first time or are switching to a different ICH CAHPS Survey vendor to administer the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey must update their vendor authorization on the ICH CAHPS website by 5:00 PM Eastern Time TOMORROW, February 28, 2020.

Please note you must update the online vendor authorization only if the following applies.

  • Your facility is participating in the ICH CAHPS Survey for the first time during the 2020 Spring Survey; OR
  • Your facility is switching to a different survey vendor to administer the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey; OR
  • Your facility entered the 2019 Fall Survey as the last survey period for which the vendor would administer the survey when you originally submitted the authorization form.

If your organization will continue to use the same ICH CAHPS Survey vendor that was used to administer the 2019 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey, you do not need to update the online vendor authorization form.

If any of the above statements apply to your facility, you must update the online vendor authorization form for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey on the ICH CAHPS website by the February 28, 2020 deadline. ICH facilities that served 30 or more survey-eligible patients in calendar year 2019 must administer both the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring and Fall Surveys to be compliant with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services quality reporting requirements. If the online vendor authorization form is not updated by the deadline, a sample will not be provided to a survey vendor, which means the 2020 Spring Survey cannot be administered.

The steps for authorizing a vendor on the ICH CAHPS website are as follows:

  • Log in to the ICH CAHPS website here.
  • From your personal dashboard, click “Authorize a Vendor.” The system will then take you to the Authorize a Vendor page.
  • From the “Select Action” drop-down list on the Authorize a Vendor page:
    • If authorizing a vendor for the first time on the website: Select the “Select a vendor for the first time” option.
    • If changing/switching to a different vendor: Select the “Switch to a different vendor” option.
  • Select the name of your survey vendor from the vendor drop-down list.
  • Select the Beginning Survey Period for your new vendor. In this instance, you would select "2020 Spring Survey."
  • Do not enter an end date for your survey vendor unless you know that you will not be using this vendor for the 2020 Fall Survey.
  • Select the CCN(s) of the ICH facility (or facilities) to which the authorization applies.
  • Click the “Submit” button.

Please note:  No changes to vendor authorizations will be accepted for the 2020 Spring Survey after 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 28, 2020.

Please contact the ICH CAHPS Survey Coordination Team at 1–866–245–8083 or via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org if you have any questions or need more information about the 2020 ICH CAHPS Surveys.

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Deadline for Submitting an Updated 2020 ICH CAHPS Quality Assurance Plan 
Feb 25, 2020

This is a friendly reminder that the deadline for ICH CAHPS Survey vendors to submit the annual Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) is 11:59 PM Eastern Time on March 31, 2020.

The QAP must describe how the survey vendor will implement, comply with, and provide oversight of all survey and data processing activities associated with the ICH CAHPS Survey. To ensure prompt review and acceptance of your Annual QAP, please follow the procedures listed below:

  • Locate the version of your most recently approved QAP; that is, the version that was accepted by CMS and the Coordination Team in 2019.
  • Make a copy of that version and accept all tracked changes, creating a clean copy of your QAP.
  • Make all 2020 updates to your clean copy using track changes, so that your document reflects only the changes made since your most recently approved QAP.
  • Make sure to include updates to your QAP if your organization has had changes in ICH CAHPS Survey personnel, changes to protocols or procedures, and/or changes in approved survey mode(s).
  • Make sure your QAP follows the format shown in the Model QAP posted on the ICH CAHPS website. Also make sure that you provide information for every topic included in the Model QAP.
  • Before submitting your annual QAP, check it carefully to make sure that it reflects all ICH CAHPS Survey protocols disseminated via announcements posted on the ICH CAHPS website and/or described in the latest version of the Survey Administration and Specifications Manual.
  • Submit your QAP online via the ICH CAHPS website by accessing the Submit Quality Assurance Plan option under the “For Vendors” menu on the grey bar at the top of the website’s home page (https://ichcahps.org/).

The QAP must be updated and submitted annually on or before March 31 of each year and at any time the vendor has a change in ICH CAHPS personnel, capabilities, or systems that are used to administer the ICH CAHPS Survey. Remember that you must also update your online ICH CAHPS Vendor Application Form if you have been approved to add/drop survey modes, changed key personnel and/or subcontractors, and/or have changed your business name or location.

Please contact the ICH CAHPS Survey Coordination Team at 1-866-245-8083 or via email at ichcahps@rti.org if you have any questions about the QAP update process or deadline.

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Reminder: The 2020 ICH CAHPS Survey Facility Non-Participation Form Deadline is February 28, 2020 
Feb 21, 2020

Please note that the deadline for submitting the 2020 ICH CAHPS Survey Facility Non-Participation Form is 5:00 PM Eastern on February 28, 2020. To access this form, login to the website using your user credentials and choose “Facility Non-Participation Form” under the For Facilities menu.

As noted in an e-mail message sent to in-center hemodialysis (ICH) facilities on January 6, 2020 and posted under the Quick Links menu on the ICH CAHPS Website’s home page, all in-center hemodialysis (ICH) facilities must determine whether they will be required to administer the ICH CAHPS Survey in calendar year (CY) 2020 by counting the number of survey-eligible patients they served in CY2019.

ICH facilities that determine that they are not required to administer the 2020 ICH CAHPS Survey and those that choose not to administer the survey must complete and submit the 2020 ICH CAHPS Facility Non-Participation Form to the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team.

ICH facilities should please note the following:

  • The Facility Non-Participation Form is an annual form that is valid only for the year in which it was submitted. ICH facilities that submitted the Facility Non-Participation Form in CY2019 must submit the 2020 Facility Non-Participation Form if they do not plan to administer the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring and Fall Surveys.
  • Submission of the Facility Non-Participation Form only alerts the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team that the facility does not wish for a sample file to be provided to their authorized vendor for the current calendar year; it does not affect compliance, which is determined on an annual basis by the ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP) team.
  • Once the Facility Non-Participation Form is submitted, any existing vendor authorization for the submitted CCN(s) is removed from the ICH CAHPS website. This means that if at any point in the future the submitted CCN(s) wishes to participate in the ICH CAHPS Surveys, the designated ICH CAHPS Facility Survey Administrator will need to authorize a survey vendor for the CCN(s).

Please contact the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team at 1-866-245-8083 or via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org if you have any questions or need more information about the Facility Non-Participation Form.

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Only One Week before the Deadline to Authorize a Survey Vendor for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey 
Feb 21, 2020

This is a reminder that all in-center hemodialysis (ICH) facilities that are administering the ICH CAHPS Survey for the first time or are switching to a different ICH CAHPS Survey vendor to administer the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey must update their vendor authorization on the ICH CAHPS website by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 28, 2020. Please note you must update the online vendor authorization only if the following applies.

  • Your facility is participating in the ICH CAHPS Survey for the first time during the 2020 Spring Survey; OR
  • Your facility is switching to a different survey vendor to administer the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey; OR
  • Your facility entered the 2019 Fall Survey as the last survey period for which the vendor would administer the survey when you originally submitted the authorization form.

If your organization will continue to use the same ICH CAHPS Survey vendor that was used to administer the 2019 ICH CAHPS Fall Survey, you do not need to update the online vendor authorization form.

If any of the above statements apply to your facility, you must update the online vendor authorization form for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey on the ICH CAHPS website by the February 28, 2020 deadline. ICH facilities that served 30 or more survey-eligible patients in calendar year 2019 must administer both the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring and Fall Surveys to be compliant with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services quality reporting requirements. If the online vendor authorization form is not updated by the deadline, a sample will not be provided to a survey vendor, which means the 2020 Spring Survey cannot be administered.

The steps for authorizing a vendor on the ICH CAHPS website are as follows:

  • Log in to the ICH CAHPS website here.
  • From your personal dashboard, click “Authorize a Vendor.” The system will then take you to the Authorize a Vendor page.
  • From the “Select Action” drop-down list on the Authorize a Vendor page:
    • If authorizing a vendor for the first time on the website: Select the “Select a vendor for the first time” option.
    • If changing/switching to a different vendor: Select the “Switch to a different vendor” option.
  • Select the name of your survey vendor from the vendor drop-down list.
  • Select the Beginning Survey Period for your new vendor. In this instance, you would select "2020 Spring Survey."
  • Do not enter an end date for your survey vendor unless you know that you will not be using this vendor for the 2020 Fall Survey.
  • Select the CCN(s) of the ICH facility (or facilities) to which the authorization applies.
  • Click the “Submit” button.

Please note: No changes to vendor authorizations will be accepted for the 2020 Spring Survey after 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 28, 2020.

Please contact the ICH CAHPS Survey Coordination Team at 1–866–245–8083 or via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org if you have any questions or need more information about the 2020 ICH CAHPS Surveys.

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Training Materials for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Vendor Update Webinar Training Sessions are Available 
Feb 07, 2020

The training materials that will be used during the ICH CAHPS Survey Vendor Update Webinar Training Session that will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 PM Eastern Time (ET) on February 13, 2020, are available on the ICH CAHPS website at the following link.

2020 ICH CAHPS Vendor Update Training Materials

An e-mail message containing instructions for connecting to the training sessions via webinar and telephone has been sent to all registered organizations. Please contact the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team at ichcahps@rti.org or call 1-866-245-8083 if anyone registered for your organization did not receive this email message.

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Updated ICH CAHPS Survey Materials for the 2020 Spring Survey 
Feb 06, 2020

The following ICH CAHPS Survey materials have been updated for the 2020 Spring Survey and have been posted on the ICH CAHPS website:

Materials posted to the “Survey Materials” page here:

  • Mail Questionnaires in all approved languages (5 questionnaires):
    • The OMB expiration date (which is required to be printed under the stand-alone OMB number in the upper right-hand corner on the cover or first page of the mail questionnaire) has been revised to display as: “Expiration Date: December 31, 2022”
  • Telephone Scripts in both approved languages (2 scripts):
    • Updated in questions INTRO1 and INTRO3 the skip instructions for response option 4 MENTALLY/PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE to display as “[GO TO Q_REF AND CODE AS MENTALLY/PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE]”: instead of the previous skip instruction of “[GO TO Q_END AND CODE AS MENTALLY/PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE]”
  • OMB Disclosure notice (5 documents):
    • Very minor edits to the header explanatory text for vendors. The actual text that is to be printed on the survey materials did not change.

Materials posted under the “For Vendors” dropdown:

  • Minimum Business Requirements:
    • Updated to reflect CMS reserves the right to request a past performance evaluation from the vendor or CAHPS contractor.

These updated ICH CAHPS Survey materials will be discussed during the ICH CAHPS Vendor Update Webinar Training session on Thursday, February 13, 2020. A training agenda and the presentation slides for this training session will be posted on the ICH CAHPS website before 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 7, 2019.

Please contact the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team via email at ichcahps@rti.org or call toll-free at 1-866-245-8083 if you have any questions.

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ICH CAHPS Survey Administration and Specifications Manual, Version 8.0 
Feb 06, 2020

The In-center Hemodialysis CAHPS (ICH CAHPS) Survey Administration and Specifications Manual, Version 8.0 is now available on the ICH CAHPS website in MS Word and PDF formats. The protocols and guidelines described in Version 8.0 of this manual are effective immediately and supersede those described in previous versions of the manual.

Please note: At the end of Chapter 1 is a “What’s New or Different?” section, which contains a list of the chapters in the manual in which the major changes in survey protocols and materials are described.

To conserve paper, the ICH CAHPS Survey Coordination Team will print a limited number of hardcopy versions of this manual. Organizations may request a hardcopy manual by sending an e-mail message to the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team at ichcahps@rti.org.

Updated ICH CAHPS Survey protocols and procedures will be reviewed during the ICH CAHPS Vendor Update Webinar Training session that will take place on Thursday, February 13, 2020. A training agenda and the presentation slides for those training sessions will be posted on the ICH CAHPS website by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 7, 2020.

Please contact the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team via email at ichcahps@rti.org or call toll-free at 1-866-245-8083 if you have any questions.

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Reminder of Upcoming Deadline for Submitting Facility-Specific Supplemental Questions for the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey for Approval 
Jan 31, 2020

This is a reminder that ICH CAHPS Survey vendors must submit all facility-specific supplemental questions that they plan to add to the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey to the Coordination Team for review and approval. If any of your in-center hemodialysis (ICH) facility clients are planning to add any new facility-specific supplemental questions to the 2020 ICH CAHPS Spring Survey, please send those questions and their proposed placement to the Coordination Team via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org before 5:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) on February 7, 2020.

Please note that facility-specific questions that were approved by the Coordination Team for use in previous survey periods do not need to be approved again unless the questionnaire wording or response options have changed.

The Coordination Team will accept facility-specific supplemental questions for review after the February 7, 2020 deadline; however, approval of those questions may not be granted in time for the questions to be included in the 2020 Spring Survey. Survey vendors should work with their client ICH facilities to decide on the use of new facility-specific questions and submit the questions to the Coordination Team as soon as possible to avoid a delay in approval.

Please contact the Coordination Team via e-mail at ichcahps@rti.org or by calling 1-888-245-8083 if you have any questions.

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