Every year, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) surveys long-term care communities that accept payment from their department. These assessments can last up to five days and are an in-depth look at how well you manage the CMS standards and regulations. F-tags pinpoint anything that isn’t up to par with federal and state standards, identifying areas for necessary improvement. And while they help senior care staff how to provide better services to residents, you want to avoid them if possible.
But with over 200 different F-Tags, the list is overwhelming. Despite this, compliance is required not only to maintain CMS certification but also to ensure the health and safety of your residents. Because these inspections can happen anytime without warning, staying survey-ready should be at the top of your priority list.
Brush up on your F-Tag knowledge with this overview of some of the most common food and nutrition tags and how Culinary Services Group can help you avoid them.
F-812 – Procuring, Storing, Serving, Prepping, and Sanitizing
Let’s get started by looking at the fundamentals of food safety. The F-812 tag is the hub for dozens of basic tasks that contribute to having a sanitary kitchen area, like labeling and dating food properly and separating types of food to avoid contamination. You’d think this would be second nature among culinary staff, right? Not always. Known as “low-hanging fruit,” the simplicity and straightforward nature of these tasks make them easy to forget, leading to a buildup of broken rules.
A simple solution to avoid an F-812 violation is to complete a weekly audit, where you briefly review your community’s kitchen to ensure that:
- The log of purchases and items in storage is up-to-date.
- The temperature in storage areas is regulated and appropriate to the food being stored there.
- All cleaning supplies are kept away from food supplies.
- Older foods are being used first to avoid unnecessary waste.
- All fixtures, utensils, and other kitchen equipment are cleaned daily.
You should also regularly review your staff’s training individually in performance reviews or as a team so everyone knows local, state, and federal regulations appropriately.
F-801 – Competent Dietary Staff
Who is your dining staff comprised of? The F-801 tag ensures you’ve employed the appropriate staff for your community and that they have the proper training. Whether you have a full-time Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD, RDN) or a part-time RDN and another nutrition professional, such as a certified dietary manager (CDM) or certified food service manager (CFPP), they must be trained per their certification’s guidelines. For example, starting in 2024, all RD, RDNs must have a master’s degree to become certified. If you outsource your culinary staff to a food service management provider like Culinary Services Group, they can help you stay on top of updated training requirements.
F-803 – Resident-Centered Menus
F-803 tag compliance involves incorporating person-centered care into your culinary program. Giving residents a choice in what they eat is just as important as how you serve it, as it promotes self-determination and choice – empowering them to retain independence and dignity. This means keeping an open mind about adjusting the menu as needed per resident feedback. Keep getting to know your residents! Conduct interviews to see if they’re satisfied with the food, what they’d like to change, and if their dietary needs are met (which a nutrition professional can help with too). Maintain a record of their responses for review and potential inspection.
F-804 – Presentation Matters
The F-804 tag is all about presentation. Do your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners look and taste good? Are they served safely? If so, you’re good to go. However, even if you think you have the best food in senior living, your residents should, too.
Inspectors will note which foods your residents eat over others, which ones they aren’t eating, and how quickly the food is served. The best ways to see if you’re staying in line with this regulation is to test the food yourself, keep a log of the nutritional value and delivery temperature of each meal, and obtain regular resident feedback.
F-805 – Embracing Individual Needs
One of the best parts about working in long-term care is getting to know the diverse residents in your community. Every person under your care has their own likes, dislikes, cultural beliefs, and various medical conditions that influence what they’re able to eat and drink.
The F-805 tag heavily emphasizes texture modification, a common adjustment culinary staff have to make for people with dysphagia. By following guidelines like the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) framework, you can learn how to make texture-modified meals more appetizing – and meet the required criteria for this F-tag.
F-806 – Watching for Health Needs and Preferences
Although it seems similar to the F-803 tag, the F-806 tag focuses more on allergies, preferences, and substitutes. Allergies are among the most common reasons older adults may need a diet adjustment. If a resident’s allergies or other health needs aren’t attended to, it could result in significant health complications. Inspectors want to see that the menu fits residents’ cultural or medical needs and that you’re taking active measures to ensure resident safety during mealtime.
Do you have options kosher, low-sodium, or vegetarian options for residents to choose from? The list of possible diets is long, but you have to accommodate every resident in your community – and prove you’re doing it. Providing a select group of snacks or meals that are always available is one way to ensure that there are always options for everyone and is a great way to maintain compliance with this F-tag. And, as always, continue to update resident preferences, so you’re always in the know about what’s working for them.
Culinary Choice Rooted in Care
Staying survey ready is more than just following regulations. It’s about creating a comfortable culinary environment and providing residents with the best care possible. If you’re not confident about doing that on your own, Culinary Services Group offers different food service management plan options to help you maintain compliance, serve delicious foods, and ensure your resident’s nutritional health is taken care of. Contact us today to set up a free assessment to see if we’re a good fit for your community.
For more information about F-Tags, check out our latest informational guide.
