Confidentiality Breach of Resident's Health Information
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure the confidentiality of a resident's protected health information, specifically for one resident who was admitted with diagnoses including encephalopathy and cognitive communication deficit. On April 7, 2025, an LPN was administering medications and left the medication cart unattended for approximately 3-5 minutes. During this time, the cart was locked, but the computer screen was left open and visible, displaying the resident's medication administration record. Several residents walked past the cart, with one stopping in front of it, potentially viewing the private medical information. The LPN later confirmed that the screen should have been locked to prevent unauthorized viewing. The Director of Nursing also indicated that the expectation was to protect private health information by locking or hiding the computer screen when away from the cart. The facility's policy on dignity emphasized the protection of confidential clinical information.