Delayed Provision of Medical Records to Resident's Legal Representative
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a resident's legal representative with a copy of the resident's medical records within the required timeframe after a request was made. The legal representative requested the records via email, but did not receive them until twelve days after the initial request, exceeding the regulatory requirement of providing access within two working days. The delay was confirmed through review of email correspondence and interviews with facility staff. Additionally, the facility's policy on access to medical records did not align with federal regulations. The policy stated that copies of medical records would be provided within seven to ten business days, which does not meet the federal requirement for access within two working days. Interviews with the Administrative Coordinator and Assistant Administrator revealed that staff were only aware of the seven to ten business day timeframe and were not familiar with the correct regulatory timeframe.