MDS is an abbreviation for Minimum Data Set . It is the name given to the assessment paperwork done on every resident, in every Long Term Care facility (LTC) or Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF), in all 50 states and The Virgin Islands. It is a mandated system. The MDS is appearing in Canada as well.

MDS is a tool to measure outcome. The nursing home reform law of OBRA 87 provided an opportunity to ensure good clinical practice, by creating a regulatory framework that recognized the importance of comprehensive assessment as a foundation for planning and delivering care to nursing home residents.

The MDS is used for various things. It drives the state survey as it is transmitted to the state data base. Surveyors gather information from this that they need , prior to the yearly survey conducted for recertification of every LTC/SNF in the US.

Medicare uses the MDS for reimbursement purposes, as the MDS creates a RUG (Resource Utilization Group) level, which is the measurable level of how much care a resident requires. MDS' also produce Quality Indicators. There are currently 24 of these. They are being posted on the Internet for the public to view and are used as a measure of how good your facility is.

MDS triggers Resident Assessment Protocols (RAPS). These are areas that require further assessment. There are currently 18 possible RAPS that can be triggered and they are also used in care-planning a resident.

Care Plans are the plan of care staff follows to help residents maintain their highest level of self care that they are capable of and to, hopefully, improve in their Activities Of Daily Living (ADL's). Care plans are comprehensive in nature and are 'worked on' throughout the residents stay in the LTC/SNF.

MDS' must follow a calendar. There is the OBRA calendar and a Medicare calendar. Failure to comply with these calendars will result in decreased reimbursement and can lead to additional state surveys.