CMS Survey Data

When Do CMS Surveyors Visit? Survey Season and the Best Time to Schedule Equipment Maintenance

Surveys are unannounced, but they aren't evenly spread across the year. Three years of CMS data show clear busy and slow seasons, and that's useful for scheduling equipment PM, calibration and electrical safety testing.

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Standard Surveys by Month

Each bar counts standard Life Safety Code surveys that resulted in at least one citation, by the month they happened, from September 2023 to August 2026.

2,331
Jan
2,376
Feb
2,609
Mar
2,602
Apr
2,528
May
2,110
Jun
1,695
Jul
1,703
Aug
1,888
Sep
1,666
Oct
1,692
Nov
2,026
Dec

February through May accounted for 10,115 surveys; July, August, October and November together accounted for 6,756. March and April were the busiest months; October was the slowest.

What This Means for Equipment Maintenance

  • Get annual PM and testing done in the fall. Equipment serviced from September through December is fresh going into the spring peak, and the documentation is in the binder before surveyors arrive.
  • Technicians are easier to book in slow months. Demand for testing rises when facilities realize a survey window is open. Booking in the off-season gets you more scheduling flexibility.
  • Don't let "slow season" become "no season." Surveys still happen every month, and complaint surveys don't follow a calendar. Your own window, based on your last survey date, matters more than the national pattern.

A Simple Annual Calendar

WhenWhat
Sept–OctAnnual PM, calibration and electrical safety testing on all patient care equipment
Nov–DecClose out failed devices: repair, re-test, document
JanAudit the binder: inventory, reports, certificates, technician records
MonthlyPower strip walk-through, incoming testing for new/rental equipment

Free tools: look up any nursing home's equipment citations and next survey window, or estimate your maintenance program.

Source: Medical Equipment Repair Network analysis of the CMS Provider Data Catalog, Nursing Homes: Fire Safety Deficiencies and Provider Information (processed September 2026). Counts are distinct standard surveys with at least one fire safety citation, for survey dates from September 2023 to August 2026.

Request a free quote for equipment repair, PM or electrical safety testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

In three years of CMS data, standard surveys with citations peaked in March and April and were lowest in October. February through May accounted for 10,115 surveys.
Many facilities do it in the fall so equipment and documentation are current before the spring survey peak, and so technicians are easier to schedule. Your own survey window matters most.
No. Standard surveys are unannounced, and complaint surveys can happen at any time.