Preventing Vision Loss and Citations in LTC: Diabetes, Diabetic Retinopathy and RAI Accuracy

Course overview

This presentation provides an integrated overview of the clinical and regulatory impact of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in the long-term care population, highlighting how progressive vision loss contributes to functional decline, increased fall risk, and greater care needs. It outlines best practices for assessing and documenting diabetic retinopathy, including clear guidance on diagnostic criteria and when conditions should be coded as active diagnoses in the RAI/MDS process. The program reinforces accurate ARD selection and appropriate use of the 7-day look-back window to support defensible MDS coding, compliant care planning, and alignment with CMS requirements. It also reviews key regulatory expectations and relevant F-Tags related to vision impairment, resident safety, and quality of care, demonstrating how proactive assessment and coordinated interdisciplinary care reduce survey risk while supporting resident safety, quality of life, and optimal clinical outcomes.