The MDS is a tool used for implementing standardized assessment and for facilitating care management in skilled nursing homes and non-critical access hospital swing beds.

Section A to section C

Section A: Identification Information

A0310 Type of Assessment

A2300 Assessment Reference Date (ARD) 

• Upon admission to the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) the ARD must be set for days one through eight
• Look back period would be ARD plus six previous calendar days

A2400 Medicare Stay

• Identifies when the Medicare Part A stay begins and ends

Section B: Hearing, Speech, and Vision

B0100 Comatose

• Within the seven-day look back period, would need supportive documentation from a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant

B0700 Makes Self Understood

• Occurs within the seven-day look back period,
• Supportive documentation could include the resident interviews, interaction with others, in the interview, in nurses/physician's notes, therapy notes

Section C: Cognitive Patterns

C0200 Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS)

• Within the seven day look back period, interview should be attempted on all residents
• Supportive documentation could be in the interview, in nurses/physician's notes, therapy notes

C0300 Temporal Orientation (orientation to year, month, and day)

C0400 Recall

C0500 BIMS Summary Score

C0700 Short-term Memory OK

C1000 Cognitive Skills for Daily Decision Making