Posted on February 6th, 2025

The 5 Biggest Red Flags That Mean You Need a Mock Survey – NOW!

CMS Cracked Down in 2024 – Are You Ready for 2025?

With over 125,000 CMS citations issued last year, long-term care facilities are under the highest level of scrutiny yet. The QSO-25-12-NH updates mean tighter enforcement on staffing, psychotropic medication use, PBJ data, infection control, QAPI, and discharge violations.

Here’s the reality: CMS is finding issues at every level, and if you’re not proactively preparing, you’re leaving your facility open to fines, penalties, and immediate jeopardy (IJ).

MockSurvey.com prepares you before CMS arrives by conducting a full-scale, survey-ready mock audit—just like the real thing. We check for K-Tags, E-Tags, and F-Tags, conduct staff interviews, resident reviews, and policy audits, and provide a complete entrance and exit conference.

🚨 If You Say "YES" to Two or More of These, You Need a Mock Survey—NOW!

🚨 Red Flag #1: Your last CMS survey didn’t go as planned.

• Did you receive multiple citations that required a Plan of Correction (PoC)?
• Were there repeat deficiencies from previous surveys?
• Did your last survey result in Immediate Jeopardy (IJ) or a Special Focus Facility designation?

🚨 Red Flag #2: Your facility has had leadership turnover.

• Have you lost a Director of Nursing (DON), MDS Coordinator, or Administrator recently?
• Is your compliance team new or unfamiliar with survey protocols?
• Would your team struggle to answer surveyor questions under pressure?

🚨 Red Flag #3: You aren’t 100% confident in your documentation.

• Are your MDS, care plans, and compliance records audit-ready?
• Could you defend your psychotropic medication usage and PBJ staffing data under scrutiny?
• Do your incident reports, QAPI documentation, and emergency preparedness plans meet new CMS expectations?

🚨 Red Flag #4: Your QAPI & infection control program aren’t survey-ready.

• Have you updated your QAPI goals to align with the new health equity focus?
• Are you tracking infection control measures according to enhanced CMS guidelines?
• Would your staff pass a mock infection control tracer from a CMS surveyor?

🚨 Red Flag #5: You don’t know what’s in the latest CMS guidance.

• Are you up to speed on new transfer & discharge requirements (F627/F628)?
• Do you have a system in place for PBJ staffing audits to prevent citations?
• Can your facility prove compliance with psychotropic medication oversight (F605 & F758)?

How MockSurvey.com Protects Your Facility from Costly Citations

At MockSurvey.com, we don’t just check the basics—we go deeper than your average mock survey.

✅ Full Entrance & Exit Conference – We start with a structured entrance meeting, just like CMS, and end with a detailed exit conference outlining every issue before the survey team leaves.

✅ Comprehensive K-Tags, E-Tags & F-Tags Review – We audit everything, from life safety compliance (K-Tags) to emergency preparedness (E-Tags) and resident care regulations (F-Tags).

✅ Real Surveyor-Like Experience – Our team walks your facility like a CMS surveyor, conducting staff interviews, resident record reviews, policy audits, and observations—so nothing is left to chance.

✅ QAPI & Infection Control Audits – With CMS’s new emphasis on QAPI & infection control, we make sure your documentation is bulletproof and your staff is prepared.

✅ Plan of Correction Support – If we find issues, we don’t just point them out—we help you fix them with a detailed corrective action plan.

What Happens If You Ignore These Red Flags?

❌ Citations, Immediate Jeopardy & Fines – Facilities that fail to comply risk severe financial penalties.

❌ Medicare & Medicaid Reimbursement Issues – Poor survey outcomes can jeopardize reimbursements.

❌ Last-Minute Panic – A CMS survey shouldn’t be your first test—it should be your final confirmation of compliance.

CMS Is Coming. Will You Be Ready?

MockSurvey.com is the leading expert in survey preparedness for SNFs and post-acute care. We help you find and fix compliance gaps before CMS does—so you can focus on what matters most.

📅 Schedule Your Mock Survey Today! 📞 Call SMK Medical at 313-314-8267 🌐 Visit MockSurvey.com

Simplifying Survey Preparedness. Strengthening Compliance. 🚀

Disclaimer

The content provided on this blog by SMK Medical is for general informational purposes only and is specifically tailored to post-acute care executives, leaders, and directors. The information, including regulatory compliance guidance, reflects our understanding at the time of publication. Rules, regulations, and standards in the healthcare industry are subject to frequent change, and SMK Medical makes no representations or warranties regarding the completeness or current accuracy of the content provided.

All case examples or scenarios mentioned have been anonymized and/or aggregated to protect the identity of the parties involved. This blog does not constitute professional advice, consultation services, or establish a client relationship. Readers are strongly encouraged to consult with qualified professionals and verify current regulations before making any decisions based on the information presented.

SMK Medical expressly disclaims any and all liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages resulting from the use of or reliance on this content.