OASIS-Central

General Instructions for Completion of the OASIS MXXXX Items

• The clinician who performs the comprehensive assessment is responsible for completing OASIS items. Look to the Conditions of Participation and agency policy to decide who will complete the comprehensive assessment for a multidiscipline patient.
• OASIS items refer to the patient’s usual condition or status at the time period or visit under consideration.
• For OASIS items that are scales, the answers are arranged from least impaired to most impaired.
• Data collection is a combination of observation and interview. Remember that observation is always preferred.
• OASIS items may be completed in any order.
• Every OASIS item must be completed if required by the type of assessment, unless skip patterns apply.
• Only one response is warranted unless “mark all that apply” is noted.
• Use “not applicable” or “unknown” only when absolutely necessary.
• Each agency is individually responsible for ensuring the accuracy of OASIS data and the adequacy of the assessment process.

All of the following items will be identified by the assessment type for which the item will be required. The following codes will be used to identify assessment types:

P: Patient tracking sheet; updated as needed

S: Start of care

R: Resumption of care

F: Follow-up

O: Other follow-up

T: Transfer (discharged or not)

H: Death at home

D: Discharge (not to inpatient facility)

A: All assessments except patient tracking sheet

This is an excerpt from the book, Home Health Pocket Guide to OASIS-C: A Reference for Field Staff, Revised Edition by Melinda A. Gaboury, co-founder and CEO of Healthcare Provider Solutions, Inc. The book will be available this month!