07/31/2025

ODH Updates Providers on Survey Delays, Rule Changes, and IJ Trends

During the July 30 Long-Term Care Provider Association Meeting, representatives from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) provided important updates impacting aging services providers across the state. The discussion included survey delays, updates to administrative rules, and top areas of deficiency.

Survey Delays

Survey delays continue to be a pressing issue. As of the meeting, the average interval between standard surveys stands at 28.3 months for nursing homes and 19.8 months for RCFs.

Rules Under Review

ODH also provided an overview of pending and ongoing rule updates. These include:

• OAC 3701-17 – rules governing nursing homes;
• OAC 3701-12 – rules pertaining to Ohio’s Certificate of Need (CON) program;
• OAC 3701-62 – revisions related to Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders.

ODH also reminded attendees to ensure their facility’s contact information in the EIDC system is current, especially with the upcoming iQIES (Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System) transition on the horizon.

Common Citations & Survey Trends

The most frequently cited deficiencies include:

• Kitchen sanitation issues;
• Inadequate or outdated care plans;
• Failure to prevent or properly address pressure injuries;
• Delays in responding to resident condition changes;
• Elopement risks and lack of appropriate safeguards.

As part of its broader effort to support provider compliance and education, ODH encouraged stakeholders to submit topic suggestions for its PREP (Provider Regulatory Education Program). ODH also addressed concerns with contracted survey teams.

For questions pertaining to this call, survey, or regulatory matters, contact Stephanie DeWees at sdewees@leadingageohio.org.