Delayed Reporting of Gastroenteritis Outbreak to Public Health Authorities
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an outbreak of gastroenteritis to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) in a timely manner. According to the facility's records, multiple residents began experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis, including vomiting and diarrhea, over several days. Specifically, two residents vomited on one day, three more on another, and five more on a subsequent day, with a total of 12 residents showing symptoms between the first and fifth of the month, and an additional seven residents experiencing symptoms in the following week. The facility's policy required that unusual occurrences, such as suspected outbreaks, be reported to the appropriate agencies within 24 hours. However, the CDPH was not notified until several days after the initial cases were identified. The Infection Preventionist confirmed that the line list documented the progression of symptoms among residents, and the Director of Nursing acknowledged that the suspicion of a gastrointestinal outbreak was not reported promptly. This delay in reporting was identified during interviews and record reviews, where it was confirmed that the facility did not adhere to its own policy or state guidelines regarding timely notification of communicable disease outbreaks. The failure to report the outbreak in a timely manner had the potential to allow the infection to spread among residents, staff, and the community.