Virtual Site Visits for Active PCF PEC Survey Vendors
folder_openOther Announcementscalendar_todayPosted September 5, 2024

Virtual Site Visits for PCF PEC Survey Vendors with Active PY24 Practice Clients 

The PCF PECS Survey team will conduct virtual site visits with vendors who have active PY24 practice clients to ensure compliance with all PCF PECS Survey requirements. These visits typically involve two to four individuals from the PCF PECS team and may also include a representative from CMS. The site visits will take place through secure video conference calls via Zoom and will last for a half-day during the fielding period. Additional sessions may be scheduled during the mail and telephone periods of data collection if needed.

RTI will email vendors information about the proposed date(s), any area(s) of concern, and specific vendor personnel who should be in attendance. If a vendor uses a subcontractor in a substantial role, the virtual site visit will include at least one video conference call with the subcontractor. RTI and the vendor will schedule the site visit(s) at a mutually agreeable time.

Approximately one week prior to the virtual site visit, the PCF PEC Survey team will email vendors a draft Site Visit Agenda which lists the topics that will be covered and documents or other resources that vendors are expected to provide during the video conference. The PEC Survey team will offer to conduct an optional, brief pre-site visit meeting to review the draft agenda, answer any questions that the vendor might have about the site visit, and to test the screensharing features in Zoom. If the vendor provides feedback to the draft agenda via email or during the pre-site visit meeting that necessitates changes to the agenda, the PEC Survey team will send a final Site Visit Agenda at least 2 business days before the scheduled site visit.

Section 10.6 of the QAG states that vendors are strongly encouraged to provide a presentation to help describe their survey processes. Vendors who are planning to prepare supplemental materials about their PCF PEC Survey processes (i.e., PowerPoints, protocol documents, etc.) for the site visit will not need to present them during the site visit but should be prepared to display their supplemental materials as needed to address questions from the PEC Survey team. Please provide any presentation materials you plan to share with the PCF PEC Survey team at least one week before your site visit date. Examples of topics we expect to cover may include but are not limited to: 

• A video “walk through” of the physical area used for interviewing, mailing, or data processing. 

• A document “step through” of the systems and processes used from the point of receiving the sample patient file to preparation of a final data file. 

• Software/programs in downloading and storing the sample patient file.

• Review of telephone interviewing monitoring logs. 

• A walkthrough of methods used for tracking contacts made and status codes. 

• Documentation and observation related to SPAM flagging. 

• A review of documentation of the above steps. 

• Interviews with the survey vendor’s key PCF PEC Survey project staff, including the project manager and data manager. 

• A discussion about the Help Desk voicemail and email. 

• A walkthrough of the systems in place to protect the confidentiality of electronic data received from PCF PEC Survey Team and survey data received from patients. 

Both the RTI site visit team and the survey vendor staff will sign a Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA). The CDA states that all staff must maintain confidence or restrict the disclosure of all proprietary information received or observed during the site visit.

After each site visit, RTI will prepare and submit to CMS a Site Visit Report, which will summarize the findings from each site visit, including any deficiencies and problems observed and remaining. The Site Visit Report will also describe corrective actions that the survey vendor will be required to take to correct any deficiencies or problems noted. The PCF PECS Team will provide the survey vendor with the Site Visit Report after it has been reviewed with CMS project staff. 

Vendors with questions should contact the PCF PECS Team via e-mail at pcfpecs@rti.org or call 1-833-997-2715.