Survey-Related Activities - General

4101 - Survey-Related Activities - General (Rev. 1, 05-21-04) In addition to survey activity which identifies and documents deficiencies, the SA communicates CMS guidelines and explains the CoPs (or requirements for SNFs/NFs, to: • Nonparticipating facilities or agencies that have either filed a Request to Establish Eligibility or a Request for Approval or have otherwise expressed interest in participating in the appropriate title XVIII or title XIX certification program and which have a reasonable potential for qualifying, when surveyed; and • Those participating providers and suppliers that have correctable deficiencies. The information provided should be concerned with specific steps the facility must take to meet program requirements, for example, advising that medical staff bylaws need to describe the organization of the medical staff. However, the SA does not provide direct assistance (e.g., helping the facility to actually rewrite the bylaws), since direct assistance is not an agency function under §§1864 (the Agreement) or 1902 (State plan) of the Act. The services that may be offered to facilities are subject to limitations that prohibit the program from assuming responsibilities and costs that are properly those of the facility, another agency, or another program.