For home health and hospice agencies
Survey readiness: what to check in the 60 to 90 days before a CHAP or state survey
Start about 90 days out. Pull a sample of patient charts and personnel files, check them against the Medicare Conditions of Participation (42 CFR 484 for home health, 42 CFR 418 for hospice), fix what you find, and check again before the surveyor arrives. The checklist below follows the order most agencies work in.
Patient charts
90 to 60 days out
- Pull a sample of active and discharged charts across every discipline.
- Check that each comprehensive assessment (OASIS for home health) was done on time and signed.
- Check that every visit matches a signed order and the plan of care.
- Check that the plan of care was reviewed on schedule (at least every 60 days for home health, at least every 15 days by the hospice interdisciplinary group) and updated when the patient changed.
- Check that patient rights notices were given and signed at admission.
- Check that care coordination with physicians and between disciplines is written down.
- Check that transfer and discharge summaries are in the chart and were sent on time.
Personnel files
90 to 60 days out
- A current license or certification for every clinician, verified with the issuing source.
- A competency evaluation for every aide, and aide supervisory visits documented on schedule.
- Orientation, annual training and at least 12 hours of in-service training a year for aides.
- Signed job descriptions, background checks and health screening as your state and your own policies require.
QAPI
60 to 30 days out
- A written QAPI program with measures you actually track, such as adverse events, infections and hospitalizations.
- Minutes that show your governing body reviewed the results.
- At least one performance improvement project with its aim, actions and results written down.
- Proof that what you found led to a change in practice.
Emergency preparedness
60 to 30 days out
- A risk assessment, written plan, policies and communication plan, reviewed on the schedule your provider type requires.
- Each patient's emergency needs, and how you will reach them in an emergency.
- Training records and a documented exercise, with what you learned from it.
Infection control
60 to 30 days out
- Written infection prevention and control policies that follow accepted standards.
- Hand hygiene, bag technique and supply handling your staff can explain and show.
- A log of infections you tracked and what you did about each one.
- Infection control training documented for every staff member.
The last 30 days
30 days out
- Check the charts and files you fixed a second time.
- Have your survey binder or folder ready: policies, QAPI minutes, emergency plan, staff list and census.
- Decide who greets the surveyor and who pulls records.
What TrueTime checks
You upload your policies, a sample of patient charts and your personnel records. The system reviews them against the eight CHAP survey areas and the matching Conditions of Participation, and gives you a scored report: each finding, the regulation behind it, the evidence, and what to fix first.
- Patient rights
- Acceptance and plan of care
- QAPI
- Infection control
- Skilled services
- Human resources
- Compliance and administration
- Emergency preparedness
Price
Your first survey readiness report is free during your 3-week free trial.
After the trial, each report is $249. A re-check of the same line within 90 days is half price ($124.50).
No subscription and no minimum.
Get your free first reportCreate your agency account and sign the agency agreement to start your 3-week free trial, then upload your documents.
Frequently asked questions
When should we start preparing for a CHAP or state survey?
Start 60 to 90 days before your survey window opens. That leaves time to review a sample, fix what you find, and check again. If you are already inside your window, start with charts and personnel files, because they take the longest to fix.
What do surveyors look at?
Patient charts (assessments, plans of care, orders, visit notes and coordination), personnel files (licenses, competencies, training and supervision), your QAPI program and its results, your emergency preparedness plan, and infection control. Surveyors also interview staff and visit patients at home.
What does TrueTime check?
Your records against the eight CHAP survey areas: patient rights, acceptance and plan of care, QAPI, infection control, skilled services, human resources, compliance and administration, and emergency preparedness. Home health is checked against 42 CFR 484 and hospice against 42 CFR 418.
How much does a survey readiness report cost?
Your first report, and one re-check of it, are free during your 3-week free trial. After the trial, each report is $249, and a re-check of the same line within 90 days is half price ($124.50). There is no subscription and no minimum.
Can we check again after we fix things?
Yes. A re-check of the same line (home health or hospice) within 90 days of your last report is half price. One re-check is included free in your 3-week free trial.
What do we need to upload?
Your policies and procedures, your QAPI and emergency preparedness documents, a sample of patient charts and a sample of personnel files. Uploads stay behind your agency sign-in.
How long does a report take?
Survey readiness reviews are typically completed within 24 hours to 3 business days, depending on how many documents you upload.
Does a good report mean we will pass our survey?
No. The report shows where your records stand today so you can fix gaps before the surveyor arrives. The survey result is always the surveyor's decision.
This checklist is a general guide, not legal or regulatory advice. Check the current Conditions of Participation, your accrediting organization's standards and your state's rules.