Clinical Reimbursement
MDS staffing, review, and reimbursement expertise for skilled nursing providers.
MDS gaps show up fast. Assessment accuracy, compliance, quality measures, billing, and cash flow all depend on a strong MDS process, and the extra work usually falls on a clinical team that is already stretched. Aspen’s Clinical Reimbursement division, led by Wendy Strain, VP of Post-Acute Clinical Reimbursement & Consulting, gives skilled nursing providers flexible options. These range from a permanent MDS Coordinator to fully outsourced MDS management.
Finding the right MDS Coordinator takes more than matching a resume to a job description. Aspen specializes in senior living and post-acute executive search and understands the clinical knowledge, reimbursement expertise, and operational demands of the role. We identify candidates who fit both the position and your organization.
A vacancy, leave of absence, turnover, or assessment backlog can quickly strain your clinical and operational teams. Aspen provides experienced MDS professionals who keep assessments on schedule and your MDS process moving while you settle on a long-term solution.
For a consistent, long-term solution, Aspen’s MDS professionals can serve as your MDS Coordinator and work as an extension of your clinical team, remotely or on-site. We manage assessment scheduling and completion, ARD management, care plan coordination, documentation review, and collaboration with community leadership and the interdisciplinary team. Ongoing clinical oversight is built into the service to support accuracy, compliance, timely completion, and appropriate reimbursement.
A focused or comprehensive review of completed assessments and supporting documentation. Reviews can cover Medicare and PDPM, state Medicaid case-mix requirements, or both. Findings identify coding or documentation concerns, areas of risk, and education needs, followed by practical recommendations.
For teams that already have an MDS Coordinator but want added expertise. Support can include pre- or post-transmission review, help with complex cases, Medicare and PDPM guidance, and state Medicaid case-mix support. Education is built into every engagement.
Individualized training for new or developing MDS Coordinators, delivered remotely or on-site. Training covers assessment accuracy, documentation, workflow, Medicare requirements, and state-specific Medicaid case-mix, matched to each coordinator’s experience level.
When an ADR, TPE review, SNF QRP/VBP data validation review, or other Medicare review arrives, Aspen reviews the requested records for completeness, helps organize your response, and guides you through the process. If the review uncovers broader documentation or process concerns, we provide targeted education to strengthen future claims.
Meet Wendy Strain, RN, RAC-CT
Wendy leads Aspen’s Clinical Reimbursement and clinical consulting services. She brings more than 30 years of healthcare experience in MDS operations and staffing, reimbursement, clinical consulting, and regulatory compliance. Before joining Aspen, she held senior leadership roles at a national senior living consulting organization, leading MDS and clinical consulting service lines for providers ranging from single communities to multi-state organizations. In 2024, she was named a McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Pinnacle Award honoree.
Not sure where your MDS process stands? Request a complimentary PDPM Opportunity Snapshot, or connect with Aspen to talk through the right level of support.
For survey readiness, Five-Star, and clinical compliance support, see our Quality & Compliance services.
Flexible Engagement Options
Aspen builds each engagement around your needs rather than a fixed package. Support can be a one-time project, interim coverage, recurring consulting, ongoing risk management, or a long-term outsourced partnership, for a single community or a multi-site organization.
