Report 2010-108 Recommendation 3 Responses
Report 2010-108: Department of Public Health: It Reported Inaccurate Financial Information and Can Likely Increase Revenues for the State and Federal Health Facilities Citation Penalties Accounts (Release Date: June 2010)
Recommendation #3 To: Public Health, Department of
To increase revenue for the penalty accounts, Public Health should ensure that it conducts all state surveys of facilities every two years, as required by state law.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From May 2017
In January 2016, California Department of Public Health implemented a new State Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Relicensing Survey. Each District Office will survey 50% of their SNFs in 2017 and the other 50% in 2018. By end of 2018, all SNFs will have a relicensing survey conducted no less than every two years. CDPH continues to post quarterly metrics of licensing surveys completed.
- Estimated Completion Date: December 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From June 2016
In January 2016, California Department of Public Health implemented a new State Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Relicensing Survey (see Attachment A). By March 2016, all district offices were using the new process. Each District Office will survey 50% of their SNFs in 2016 and the other 50% in 2017. By 2018, all SNFs will have a relicensing survey conducted no less than every two years.
- Estimated Completion Date: 12/2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2015
In July 2014, CDPH began reviewing its licensing survey methodologies for long-term care facilities to focus on eliminating redundancies between licensing and certification surveys. CDPH anticipates implementing the new survey tool in long-term care facilities by December 2016.
- Estimated Completion Date: December 16, 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2015
The status of this recommendation is unchanged.
- Estimated Completion Date: 12/31/2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2014
The status of this recommendation is unchanged.
- Estimated Completion Date: 10/2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2013
In August 2013, CDPH hired a contractor to perform a workload analysis to assess program workload and barriers, perform a gap analysis, and identify immediate actions that CDPH can take to begin to remediate the gaps identified. The contractor will also identify areas that need additional in-depth review and will develop additional scopes of work for additional contracts (with other contractors) to fully assess issues identified and provide recommendations, including identifying staffing levels required to complete the workload and more efficient means of conducting surveys. The contractor will complete the initial assessment by June 30, 2014. The additional contracts will begin in July 2014 and be completed by December 31, 2015. CDPH anticipates implementing all contractor recommendations for completing state and federal workload, resources needed, methods to identify increased efficiencies, and addressing other identified gaps by December 31, 2017.
- Estimated Completion Date: December 31, 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Although Public Health is performing a workload analysis, we are still concerned that it is not performing inspections as the law requires.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From September 2012
CDPH agrees with the recommendation that the Department should ensure that it conducts all state surveys of facilities every two years as required by state law. CDPH is making a concerted effort to comply with this requirement. In fiscal year 2012-2013, Licensing and Certification (L&C) will continue to evaluate its workload to allocate staff resources in an effort to meet this requirement. This evaluation may result in reassigning surveyor activity to determine if additional resources are needed to conduct both federal and state mandated surveys as required.
- Estimated Completion Date: Unknown
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
All Recommendations in 2010-108
Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.