Failure to Provide Scheduled Hospice Aide Visits and Communication
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a resident receiving hospice care was provided with the scheduled hospice aide (HA) visits as outlined by the hospice provider's calendar. According to the medical record and hospice documentation, the resident was to receive HA visits every Tuesday and Thursday, but there were no documented visits on 3/25, 3/27, 4/1, and 4/3, with the last recorded visit occurring on 3/20. Interviews with facility staff, the resident's family member, and hospice personnel confirmed that the scheduled visits did not occur and that there was no communication from the hospice provider regarding changes to the visit schedule. The resident in question had severe cognitive impairment, as indicated by a BIMS score of three, and was under hospice care for a cerebral infarction. Facility policy and the hospice contract required timely delivery of hospice services and communication between the hospice provider, facility staff, and the resident's family. However, the lack of scheduled HA visits and absence of communication about missed visits demonstrated a failure to provide necessary care and services as required by both facility policy and the hospice agreement.