Be Survey-Ready Every Day — Not Just Survey Day

CMS surveys are unannounced, comprehensive, and consequential. Surveyors review documentation, tour the environment, interview staff and residents, observe care delivery, and cross-reference everything against federal requirements. Most facilities go into survey mode when rumors of surveyors in the area start circulating — scrambling to fix obvious issues instead of maintaining survey readiness year-round. The result is predictable: deficiencies that could have been prevented with consistent preparation.

Our State Survey Prep Checklist is a comprehensive readiness assessment that covers every area CMS surveyors evaluate. Organized by survey focus area — documentation, physical environment, staffing, resident care, infection control, kitchen/dietary, and staff readiness — this checklist helps you identify and fix gaps before surveyors find them. Use it as a monthly readiness assessment or as an intensive preparation tool when your survey window approaches.