The
Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) new tracking, analysis, and data repository system for survey and certification, among other functions. Beginning in May 2021, State Survey Agencies (SAs) and CMS locations began a phased transition to iQIES. This system consolidates and replaces the functionality of the QIES, CASPER, and ASPEN legacy systems.
While iQIES has been in use for Minimum Data Set (MDS) submission and reports since April 17, 2023, State Survey Agencies (SSAs) have not yet transitioned from ASPEN/CASPER to this system. According to the CMS
Administrative Memo 24-21-NH, released on August 6, 2024, the iQIES Nursing Home launch is currently scheduled for February 2025. CMS’s iQIES team has developed a training and support plan to help all State Agency and CMS staff prepare for the launch and transition to the iQIES platform.
While most of the training will not impact nursing home providers, these changes will result in a new location for ePOC, the system many states use for survey plans of correction.
Survey Agency Training Timeline
CMS-organized training for SSAs will take place in October, November, and December 2024.
Provider Training Timeline
CMS is in the process of creating an ePOC training video for the Provider user role (for those states using ePOC for plans of correction). For these states, applicable state nursing home staff will need to obtain iQIES access after February 2025.
AHCA will continue to monitor and share information when this provider training is made available and when the new role for ePOC is accessible in iQIES. Questions about this transition or obtaining access in iQIES may be sent to
regulatory@ahca.org.