What does “QAA committee” mean?
Short answer
The QAA (quality assessment and assurance) committee runs a nursing home's QAPI quality program. It meets at least every quarter, as CMS requires.
Also known as: quality assessment and assurance committee, QAA
Who is on it
42 CFR 483.75(g) says the committee must include the director of nursing, the medical director or a designee, and the infection preventionist. It also needs at least three other staff. One must be the administrator, an owner, a board member or another leader.
It reports to the governing body. It meets at least quarterly and as needed. It writes and carries out plans to fix quality problems and reviews data, including drug regimen review data.
Rules and an example
Surveyors cite this rule at F868. The rule also limits sharing. A State or the Secretary may not require the committee's records except to check its own compliance. Good-faith efforts to find and fix quality problems are not a basis for penalties.
Example: the committee reviews three months of resident falls and sees a cluster on night shift. It starts a performance improvement project on toileting rounds.
Mix-up: the committee is not the whole QAPI program. Hospital and surgery center rules do not use the term. They give oversight to the governing body.
Frequently asked questions
How often must the QAA committee meet?
At least quarterly and as needed (42 CFR 483.75(g)(2)(i)). It meets to coordinate and judge QAPI work, such as picking issues for improvement projects.
Who must be on the QAA committee?
The director of nursing, the medical director or designee, the infection preventionist and at least three other staff, one a leader (administrator, owner or board member).
Can surveyors read the committee's records?
A State or the Secretary may not require them except to check compliance with 42 CFR 483.75. Surveyors can still ask for proof that QAPI works.
Sources
- 42 CFR 483.75: Nursing home QAPI
- CMS State Operations Manual, Appendix PP: Guidance to Surveyors for Long Term Care Facilities
- CMS: QAPI at a Glance, a step-by-step guide for nursing homes
Reviewed against the sources above on Oct 5, 2026. Rules change: confirm current requirements with the issuing body or your counsel before relying on any summary.
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