Deborah A. Duhaime, RN, HCRM, QCP, RAC-CTA, CCS
Manager of Clinical Quality Improvement
Debbie is an experienced RN who specializes in the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) process. She is certified as an advanced Resident Assessment Coordinator through AAPACN (American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing) previously referred to as AANAC (American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators). With over 30 years of MDS experience, Debbie has seen the RAI process grow from the basic MDS in 1987 to the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) that is utilized today. She is an expert in PDPM, RAI guidelines, MDS and CAA completion, and the Resident Centered Care Plan. She has assisted clients in several different states with this process. Debbie’s health care career began over 40 years ago as a Certified Nursing Assistant, which led her to study nursing and get her RN license.
Her nursing background includes working in the critical care units, including the Burn Unit, Medical Intensive Care, Cardiothoracic Intensive Care, Pulmonary Intensive Care, and Neurological Intensive Care, while working at a major trauma hospital in Connecticut.
Following her hospital work, she transitioned to community health nursing and began her career in the long-term care/skilled nursing setting in 1986. Debbie found her passion while working with the elderly in the long-term care setting, a field that has allowed her to advance and grow. Her experience in this setting includes charge nurse, medication nurse, wound nurse, staff development/education, and as an MDS coordinator.
In addition to specializing in the RAI process, Debbie holds certifications as a health care risk manager and a Quality Assurance Performance Improvement Specialist. She assists skilled nursing facilities in multiple states to ensure their services are meeting high quality standards.
Debbie possesses expertise with navigating different electronic medical records including Point Click Care, Matrix, and HMX.
Debbie and her husband moved to Florida some years ago and reside on the West Coast. They enjoy traveling, the warm Florida weather, and most especially their family.