Failure to Arrange Timely Transportation for Chemotherapy Appointment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to arrange transportation for a resident's scheduled chemotherapy appointment, as required by physician orders and facility policy. The resident, who was admitted with diagnoses including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a left fibula fracture, and a history of falls, was cognitively intact but required moderate to maximum assistance with activities of daily living. The resident's chart indicated a chemotherapy appointment was scheduled, but on the morning of the appointment, staff discovered that transportation had not been arranged in advance. The resident had to remind staff about the appointment, prompting a last-minute call to the facility's backup transportation service. Interviews with facility staff, including the Registered Nurse Supervisor, Facility Administrator, and Director of Nursing, confirmed that transportation arrangements were not made until the day of the appointment, contrary to facility policy which requires transportation to be scheduled as soon as possible after an appointment is set. The facility's policy and procedures specify that the Social Services Department is responsible for organizing transportation in collaboration with the resident's family representative. The failure to arrange timely transportation could have resulted in the resident missing the chemotherapy treatment.