Failure to Ensure Timely Replacement and Return of Missing Dentures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide medically-related social services to meet the needs of a resident by not following up on the status of the resident's missing dentures and not ensuring timely replacement. The resident was admitted with upper and lower dentures, as documented in the admission inventory, and had diagnoses including spinal stenosis and oropharyngeal dysphagia. The resident required staff assistance with eating and had intact cognition. Upon discharge, the inventory list did not indicate that the dentures were returned to the resident, and the resident was discharged without them. Subsequently, the resident returned to the facility to report that the dentures were not provided at discharge. Facility records, including concern and grievance reports, confirmed the resident's claim that the dentures were missing during the stay and not received at discharge. The Social Service Assistant acknowledged that there was no follow-up on the status or replacement of the dentures, which was required by facility policy to ensure medically-related social services were provided.