Evaluating the Applicability of Federal Regulatory Metrics for Nursing Home Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Strengthening the regulatory oversight of nursing homes is a federal priority due to residents’ differential susceptibility to adverse outcomes.1–3 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) participating nursing homes must comply with federal standards designed to promote resident health and safety, assessed through the Standard and Life Safety Code (LSC) survey categories.4 The Standard survey evaluates observable elements of routine nursing home care, such as hand hygiene, and the LSC survey evaluates preparedness for fires and other emergencies.