In spring 2003, CMS awarded RAND a contract with a subcontract to Harvard Medical School to evaluate a national revision of the Minimum Data Set for Nursing Homes (MDS 3.0). The research employs a systematic approach to validate the eight new or revised sections of the draft MDS 3.0 (diagnostic coding, delirium, pain, falls, depression, behavior disorders, quality of life, and palliative care) in community populations and facilities. These eight domains represent conditions or topics that have a high impact on resident health and for which quality assessments may significantly influence subsequent care. In addition, stakeholder input obtained as part of the primary contract has identified these sections as important topics for in-depth validation activity. The planned validity and reliability study will include 70 nursing homes from six states. The overall objectives of the research are to:

• provide scientific input to improve the quality of MDS 3.0;
• enhance its performance and utility as a tool to improve NH care;
• inform future CMS activities.

Harvard Medical School faculty have responsibility for the design of the sample and the empirical analysis.