Understanding your role within the Integrated Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) is crucial for anyone involved in health care surveys. iQIES, a vital system for managing survey and certification data, interacts with systems like the Automated Survey Processing Environment (ASPEN). This guide clarifies the different user roles in iQIES, particularly focusing on how these roles, and by extension, ASPEN programs, support the generation and management of forms and data essential for health care surveys.
State Survey Agency Roles in iQIES
For State Survey Agencies, iQIES offers specific roles tailored to different responsibilities in overseeing health care surveys and provider data. These roles ensure secure and efficient management of survey-related information.
State Agency Security Official (SASO)
The State Agency Security Official (SASO) plays a pivotal role in managing user access within iQIES. This role is often filled by individuals familiar with ASPEN, such as current OASIS Automation Coordinators or ASPEN Technical Coordinators, due to their technical expertise and experience with provider and State Agency personnel. A key function of the SASO is to approve or reject iQIES access requests for State Agency employees. Furthermore, the SASO must utilize ASPEN to verify federal surveyor IDs for existing users or create new IDs for new federal surveyors needing iQIES access. This integration with ASPEN highlights the interconnectedness of these systems in managing surveyor information and ensuring secure access for health care survey processes. SASOs receive email notifications for pending user requests and ID verifications, managed through the User Management menu in iQIES. SASOs who also hold the State Agency General User role can perform survey deletions within the system. It’s highly recommended that State Agencies designate multiple SASOs to ensure timely approval of access requests, as user access is contingent on SASO approval.
State Agency General User (SAGU)
The State Agency General User (SAGU) role is designed for staff and surveyors actively involved in daily survey and certification activities. These users, often familiar with the ASPEN suite of applications, are responsible for updating provider demographic information and entering survey, intake, and enforcement data specific to their state within iQIES. SAGUs have read-only access to provider, survey, and enforcement data from all other states, providing a comprehensive view of national health care survey information. Access to the SAGU role requires approval from a SASO. This role is fundamental for personnel directly engaged in the data collection and management aspects of health care surveys, potentially utilizing forms generated or managed through ASPEN-related programs.
State Agency Assessment Coordinator (SAAC)
The State Agency Assessment Coordinator (SAAC) role is crucial for the state-level coordination of assessments, particularly those related to the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS). Current state OASIS Automation Coordinators are well-suited for this role. In the future, as Minimum Data Set (MDS) data is integrated into iQIES, MDS Coordinators will also require access to this role. The SAAC role supports various tasks related to assessment coordination, leveraging data that may originate from forms processed through ASPEN. SASO approval is necessary for accessing the SAAC role, which is essential for managing and coordinating assessment data within the health care survey framework.
CMS Roles in iQIES
iQIES also defines roles for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) users, each with specific permissions to perform functions within the system related to national health care survey oversight.
CMS View Only User
The CMS View Only User role provides comprehensive access to view data across the entire spectrum of health care surveys nationwide. Users with this role can access all provider, survey, intake, and enforcement data for all states. Importantly, they can also view patient assessment data and associated reports. Access to this role requires approval from a CMS Security Official. This role is valuable for CMS personnel who need a broad overview of health care survey data for monitoring and analysis purposes.
CMS General User
The CMS General User role is designed for CMS personnel who need to actively interact with iQIES data. These users can view and update nationwide provider demographic information and enter survey, intake, and enforcement information. Furthermore, CMS General Users have access to patient assessment data, associated reports, and dashboard data. This role is essential for surveyors, enforcement specialists, certification specialists, and other CMS staff who directly input data into iQIES. CMS Security Official approval is required for access. This role enables direct contribution to the iQIES database, supporting the accurate and timely management of health care survey information.
Office of Financial Management (OFM) User
The Office of Financial Management (OFM) User role has a specific focus within iQIES, limited to accessing data related to Civil Money Penalty Tracking System (CMPTS) cases. OFM Users can track CMPTS cases and record CMPTS payments for providers nationwide. This role, requiring CMS Security Official approval, is crucial for the financial management aspects of enforcement actions arising from health care surveys.
Important Note: The CMS Security Official and iQIES Help Desk roles are restricted to specific staff at CMS Headquarters and a select group of individuals, respectively, and should not be selected by general users.
Help & Resources for iQIES Users
Transitioning to a new system like iQIES can present challenges. To support users, several resources are available to ensure a smooth onboarding and effective utilization of iQIES for health care survey management.
iQIES Onboarding Guide – This guide offers step-by-step instructions to help users get started with iQIES effectively.
iQIES Survey & Certification User Manual – This manual provides detailed information on performing Survey & Certification (S&C) functions within iQIES, including managing providers, surveys, intakes, and enforcement actions.
iQIES Help Page – This page provides direct assistance and step-by-step guidance for navigating iQIES functionalities.
QTSO – The QIES Technical Support Office (QTSO) website is a comprehensive resource for technical guidance, references, manuals, software tools, and training materials for providers, vendors, State Agencies, CMS staff, and other organizations involved in S&C functions.
QIES/iQIES Service Center – For direct assistance, the Service Center is available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday. Contact them by phone at 1-888-477-7876 (Option 1) or by email at [email protected]. Utilizing these resources will enhance your understanding and proficiency in using iQIES for managing health care surveys and related data, potentially streamlining processes involving ASPEN programs and forms.
