What should be included in data collection for a SNF surveillance plan?

• A. Only patient satisfaction scores.
• B. Data collection, trend analysis, and improvement actions.
• C. Financial data only.
• D. Public disclosure of all data without safeguards.

Answer: (B)

A SNF surveillance plan works as a closed loop: you gather data across meaningful measures, examine how those measures change over time, and then implement improvements based on what the trends show. Data collection should capture multiple domains that affect resident safety and quality, and it needs to be timely and accurate so you can see real patterns rather than random fluctuations. By analyzing trends, you can distinguish meaningful performance changes from normal variation, set priorities, and identify where to intervene. Then you carry out improvement actions—policies, training, new protocols, or workflow changes—and re-measure to confirm that the changes had the desired effect. Focusing only on a single metric, like patient satisfaction, or on financial data alone, misses essential safety and clinical quality information. Publicly disclosing all data without safeguards is inappropriate due to privacy and potential misuse. The complete cycle—data collection, trend analysis, and improvement actions—provides the necessary structure to improve resident care over time.