Failure to Provide Bed Hold Notice at Time of Hospital Transfer
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide written bed hold information to a resident and/or their representative at the time of transfer to a hospital, as required by both facility policy and regulatory standards. The policy specifies that written information regarding bed hold practices must be given both at admission and at the time of transfer for hospitalization or therapeutic leave. In the case reviewed, a resident was transferred to a short-term general hospital with return anticipated, but there was no documentation in either the electronic medical record or paper chart that the bed hold notice was provided at the time of transfer. Interviews with staff confirmed that the bed hold policy notice was not completed or given to the resident or their representative at the time of the hospital transfer. The LPN stated that nurses were responsible for this task but acknowledged it was not done for this resident. The DON also confirmed the omission, noting that the bed hold policy was not completed for the resident at the time of transfer. This lapse was consistent with the facility's practice prior to a recent change in procedure.