There are 3 types of ACFI validation.
1. E-validation: Offsite validation process where you forward ACFI packs and supporting evidence for nominated Residents to the Department via Registered post or courier.
2. 1 Domain or 1 Question Validation: The Review officers will focus on 1 ACFI question or 1 ACFI domain for the validation.
3. Full Validation: This is when you will have a Review officer on site conducting a validation of nominated Residents.
DOCUMENTATION:
The review officers will review the documentation relating to the residents that have been selected for Assessment. It is vital to ensure that your ACFI packs are up to date and complete, with names, dates and signatures included where required. The Review Officer will be checking for consistency with the Medicare claim, up to date treatment records, a complete supporting evidence pack and congruency with the care provided. There must be congruence across all three domains; look out for conflicting claims. The Review Officer also has the right to conduct ACFI assessments such as the PAS or CORNELL. Conduct your own audit of your packs and ensure that you have everything required and your pack is in order. It is easy to get flustered when you have a Review Officer on site, so if everything is where it needs to be, the process is a lot easier for you and your Validator!
INTERVIEWS:
The Review Officers may also interview your team and the Residents. It is important to make sure that your team are comfortable and understand the validation process, and why they may be interviewed. They also must understand the importance of following the care plan! If a Resident is interviewed, they should always, always be accompanied by a team member. If the Resident becomes distressed in any way, the interview should and can be aborted immediately.
OBSERVATION:
The Review Officers will meet and observe the Resident, and may ask them to perform simple task assessments or ACFI assessments such as the PAS or Cornell. They may observe care activities like Meal time to assess whether care being provided is as per the care plan and congruent with the ACFI claim. Always have a team member accompany the Review Officer during these observations. It is important to support your Resident; you are providing their care and can demonstrate how their care plan reflects their care needs.
For a more detailed look at the ACFI Validation process and how to ensure a positive experience, view our education series ACFI Uncovered, and the segment on The ACFI Validation Experience. The entire ACFI Uncovered course is available for a comprehensive look at the basic and complex aspects of ACFI. See our online store.
 |
Jacqui Banham – Partner, ACFI & Clinical Services Author |
