Initial and Comprehensive Assessment
Sets out who assesses each patient, when the initial assessment, comprehensive assessment, and each update are done, what every comprehensive assessment must contain, including the medication review and the patient’s individual emergency plan, and how the Agency tracks every assessment deadline.
About this policy
- Policy number
- TX-HH-ASM-01
- Version
- 1.0
- Main rule
- 42 CFR §484.55
- Library
- Texas home health · 56 policies
- Category
- Patient care
- Sections
- 18
In short
- A registered nurse does the initial assessment and the comprehensive assessment. A therapist may do them only when therapy is the only service ordered.
- Complete the comprehensive assessment no later than 5 calendar days after the start of care.
- Update it in the last 5 days of every 60 days, within 48 hours after a hospital stay of 24 hours or more, when the patient’s condition changes significantly, and at discharge.
- Every comprehensive assessment includes a review of all medications, caregiver information, OASIS items, and the patient’s individual emergency plan.
- Aides and LVNs: report any change in a patient’s condition to the registered nurse the same day.
What's inside
18 sections. The full text comes with the One-time Policy Pack.
- Terms of Reference
- 1. Purpose
- 2. Scope
- 3. Definitions
- 4. Policy Statement (42 CFR §484.55)
- 5. Who Assesses
- 6. When Each Assessment Is Done
- 7. The Initial Assessment Visit
- 8. Content of the Comprehensive Assessment
- 9. Updating the Assessment
- 10. Tracking Assessment Deadlines
- 11. Responsibilities
- 12. Records and Compliance Monitoring
- 13. Staff Training
- 14. References
- 15. Related Policies and Forms
- 16. Approval
- 17. Revision History
An inspector may ask
- Show me the initial assessment visit and the comprehensive assessment for this patient, with the dates. Were they on time?
- Who may do the comprehensive assessment when the patient has only physical therapy ordered?
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