Editorial Standards & Data Methodology

PCREETest.com publishes compliance guidance, CMS data analysis and free tools for nursing home operators. Because facilities use this content to make decisions about resident safety, here is how we create and maintain it.

Sources We Rely On

• Primary regulations and standards: CMS State Operations Manual and Life Safety Code survey tags, NFPA 99 (2012) and NFPA 101 (2012), FDA guidance, and manufacturer instructions.
• Public CMS data: the CMS Provider Data Catalog for nursing homes (Provider Information and Fire Safety Deficiencies). Each data article states the file, processing date and date range used.

How We Analyze CMS Data

• We use the full national files, not samples, and state the exact tags and date ranges in every article.
• Survey dates in the CMS files appear in more than one format; we normalize them before counting.
• We report associations, not causes. A higher citation rate in a group doesn't prove the group causes citations.
• We don't publish lists naming individual facilities' citations. Facility-level results appear only when someone looks up a specific facility, the same information CMS publishes on Care Compare.
• Data pages are refreshed when CMS publishes updated files.

What We Don't Claim

• We don't claim technician certifications or credentials we can't verify. We describe technicians as qualified based on documented training and experience.
• Samples and templates (such as our sample reports) are clearly labeled as illustrations with invented data.
• Nothing on this site is legal or regulatory advice. Confirm requirements with your state survey agency or Life Safety Code consultant.

Corrections

If you find an error, contact us and we'll review and correct it, noting significant changes on the page.