Failure to Assist Resident with Transportation for Medically Necessary Eye Appointment
Penalty
Summary
A resident with macular degeneration and impaired vision was not assisted by facility staff in obtaining transportation to a retinal specialist appointment, as ordered by the physician and recommended by an ophthalmologist. The resident reported having to cancel the appointment due to the high cost of transportation and stated that no alternative options, such as seeing the in-house eye doctor, were offered. Staff interviews confirmed that only one transportation company was contacted, and when the resident declined to pay the out-of-pocket cost, no further alternatives or education about other options were provided. Documentation did not reflect any education given to the resident regarding transportation responsibilities or any efforts to arrange alternative transportation. The facility's policy requires staff to arrange transportation for outside appointments unless the family chooses to do so, and to reschedule missed appointments at the earliest time. However, staff did not document any attempts to reschedule the appointment or offer other solutions after the resident declined to pay for the transportation. The care plan indicated the need for ongoing ophthalmology consults, but there was no evidence that the facility followed through with these interventions for the resident after the initial appointment was missed.