Evaluation of the Quality Indicator Survey (QIS)

The QIS is a revised long-term care survey process that was developed under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) oversight through a multi-year contract. It represents an effort to standardize how the survey process measures nursing home compliance with federal standards and the interpretative guidelines that define those standards. The QIS demonstration represents the culmination of 15 years of CMS-sponsored research and development aimed at addressing criticisms of the long-term care survey process raised by consumers, providers, the General Accounting Office, Congress, survey agencies, and CMS Central Office.