FAQ: Can I Correct NHSN Data Once It Is Submitted?

Posted on May 19, 2021 by Jonathan Lips

With CMS announcing that it will make public vaccination rate data submitted by nursing homes to the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network, it reminds us of the need for providers to ensure accurate data reporting.

Even with a careful process in place, facilities may occasionally make data submission errors, which wind up distorting the information CMS displays on COVID19 Nursing Home Data page. Providers have the opportunity to correct mistakes if the occur.

This CMS resource includes a question-and-answer on the topic: 

Q) My data on CMS’ website are incorrect. How do I fix data submission errors?

A) Facilities may correct their data in the NHSN COVID-19 module at any time by simply accessing the applicable calendar day, and then replacing the incorrect data with correct data. You must then choose save before exiting the screen to retain your changes. The updated data will be sent to CMS on the following Monday in the next NHSN data submission.

And this CDC document walks through the process: Correcting COVID-19 Module Data (April 2021).

We encourage care centers to check the data periodically that CMS presents for your facility, and then to check and correct, if needed, the underlying information submitted to NHSN.