(a) The department shall develop, collect, and maintain, in an electronic format, all data elements in the minimum data set specified by the federal government. The data base shall incorporate the data required for preadmission screening and annual resident reviews, and Medi-Cal treatment authorization requests. The department shall make the format of this new data base available to the public.
(b) All skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities required by federal law to complete the minimum data set form shall provide the data to the department in a manner and form prescribed by the director. The director may require that the submission of that data shall be in an electronic format.
(c) The department shall design the minimum data set data base in a manner that maintains resident confidentiality and that allows the use of the data by other authorized state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. To the extent possible, those other state agencies shall obtain the minimum data set and preadmission screening and annual resident review data from the department’s database established and maintained pursuant to this section.
(d) To the fullest extent possible, the department shall use the minimum data set database to meet the requirements of the current treatment authorization request review process and shall automate use of the minimum data set information for that purpose.
(e) This section shall not be construed to prohibit the department or any other state agency from requiring additional information that is not available from the minimum data set database in order to meet other data needs.
(f) The department shall implement this section no later than the date specified by the federal government for facility completion of automation of the minimum data set data. The department shall, within a reasonable time, make necessary system changes to begin the use of the automated minimum data set data to meet its treatment authorization and preadmission screening and annual resident review data requirements. To the fullest extent possible, these system changes shall be anticipated and commenced in advance of the federal government’s final implementation date.
(g) The system shall be developed and implemented in consultation with representatives of the long-term care industry and other interested parties, such as physicians and other health care professionals.
(h) The department shall implement the development of the minimum data set database only if federal funds are available for that purpose. Development of the data system applications for use of the automated minimum data set database by the department are subject to federal approval and federal financial participation for the affected systems.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 34, Sec. 227. (SB 1009) Effective June 27, 2012. Operative July 1, 2012, by Sec. 254 of Ch. 34.)