jRAVEN, which stands for the Resident Assessment Validation and Entry System, was a free, Java-based software application developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Its primary function was to provide a no-cost option for healthcare facilities, particularly Nursing Homes (MDS) and Swing Bed Providers, to manage and submit the mandatory Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment data to the appropriate state and/or national data repository (QIES).
Key Capabilities and Features:
- MDS Data Management: Allows facilities to collect, maintain, and edit MDS Assessment data, displaying the Item Sets similar to the official paper forms.
- Validation Utility: Includes a validation utility tool (VUT) to check the assessment data for errors and inconsistencies prior to submission, ensuring compliance with CMS data specifications.
- Submission Preparation: Facilitates the export of validated MDS data in the required format for electronic submission to the QIES (Quality Improvement and Evaluation System).
- Resident & Facility Setup: Provides administrative functions for setting up and maintaining facility, user, and resident information.
- Reimbursement Calculation: Incorporates groupers like the PDPM (Patient-Driven Payment Model) Grouper and RUG-III/RUG-IV (Resource Utilization Groups) case mix group calculation to assist facilities with payment determination.
Retirement Note: CMS officially retired and ceased support for the jRAVEN application on October 1, 2023. It has been replaced by the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES), which is an online, cloud-based user tool for assessment submission.