Section 1423.5.

(a)  The state department shall centrally review federal deficiencies and supporting documentation that may require the termination of certification for a nursing facility. The state department shall develop a standardized methodology for conducting the central review of these deficiencies. The standardized methodology shall assess all of the following:

(1)  The extent to which the survey team followed established survey protocols.

(2)  The thoroughness of the investigation or review.

(3)  The quality of documentation.

(4)  The consistency in interpreting federal requirements.

(b)  The state department shall develop a system for tracking patterns and a quality assurance process for preventing, detecting, and correcting inconsistent or poor quality survey practices.

(c)  (1)  On or before December 1 of each year, the state department shall provide to the Legislature a summary of federal and state enforcement actions taken against nursing facilities during the previous state fiscal year.

(2)  The report summarizing federal and state enforcement actions required under this subdivision shall be combined with the report required under Section 1438 into a single report. The time period for each report shall cover the previous state fiscal year.

(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 685, Sec. 17. Effective January 1, 2002.)