Virtual Site Visits for Active PCF PEC Survey Vendors
folder_openOther Announcementscalendar_todayPosted September 12, 2022

Virtual site visits for PCF PEC Survey vendors with active PY22 practice clients will be conducted to ensure compliance with all PCF PEC Survey requirements. Generally, the PCF PECS virtual site visit team will consist of two to four individuals. Additionally, CMS may join site visits. The visits will be conducted through secure video conference calls via BlueJeans and may consist of 1 to 2 half-day sessions throughout the field period. Separate sessions may be scheduled during the mail and telephone periods of data collection.  

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 subcontractor is used 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 PECS team will conduct a 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 BlueJeans. After the pre-site visit meeting, vendors will be sent a Site Visit Agenda specifying the documents or other resources the vendor is expected to present during the video conference calls. Vendors are encouraged to provide a presentation to help describe their survey processes. Based on our experience last year, we found that the site visits ran more efficiently when vendors provided a presentation during the call. Examples of such documents/resources 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. No personally identifiable information (PII) or protected health information (PHI) about sampled patients will be shared 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.