Administration Requirements

4146.2 - Administration Requirements (Rev. 1, 05-21-04) The States are directly responsible for fulfilling requirements to operate the State MDS system. However, the State may enter into an agreement with the SMA, another State component, or a private contractor to perform day-to-day operations of the system. The State must obtain RO approval prior to entering an agreement with another agency. Criteria for approval are provided at Exhibit 259. Under any such arrangement, the State must be guaranteed real-time, priority access to this system to fully support all MDS functions specified in the MDS procedures and this manual. All CMS privacy and confidentiality requirements must be met. Off-site operation of the MDS system will require high capacity, fault-tolerant network connections to ensure reliable support for the State’s daily operations that will be affected by this system. The State also must use the MDS system for reporting MDS data to the CMS central repository. To promote national consistency in MDS system operations and troubleshooting, each State must designate one individual as the MDS automation project coordinator. This person is CMS’ key contact within each State for managing MDS system issues. This person must be familiar with the use of the RAI and the MDS automation and transmission process. Technical knowledge of information systems is useful but far less critical than an understanding of the RAI and MDS processes, good communications and project management skills, and the ability to educate and work with providers and vendors to ensure successful implementation of an automated process for all providers. The State should designate additional staff, including a system administrator to manage the technical aspects of running the MDS system, and support staff to assist in answering routine user questions, assigning passwords, etc. With respect to systems maintenance, the MDS system installed in each State is comprised of commercial off-the-shelf hardware and software components that are generally covered under typical umbrella service agreements that the State may already have in place for maintenance of data processing equipment. Those MDS software components that are developed and distributed by CMS will be maintained and upgraded centrally by CMS. The State will not be responsible for these software upgrades. To the extent that the State has developed customized external applications for using information obtained from the MDS database (e.g., to support Medicaid payment), the costs of developing and maintaining these additional software applications (and any related hardware components) will not be funded through the survey and certification budget.