Failure to Provide Written Transfer Notice and Bed Hold Policy Upon Hospitalization
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide required written notices of transfer and copies of its bed hold policy to residents or their representatives upon transfer to a hospital. For three residents who were hospitalized, there was no documentation in their medical records that these notifications were given at the time of transfer. In each case, the progress notes detailed the residents' medical conditions and the circumstances leading to their transfer, such as a referral for infectious disease, confusion and lethargy, or a fall resulting in an emergency room visit. However, there was no evidence that the facility provided the mandated written information regarding transfer and bed hold policies. Interviews with the Director of Nursing confirmed that documentation of these notifications could not be produced for any of the three residents involved. The absence of these records indicates that the facility did not comply with regulatory requirements to inform residents or their representatives about their rights and the facility's bed hold policy at the time of hospital transfer.