Inaccurate MDS Assessment Due to Feeding Tube Coding Error
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure the accuracy of a Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment for one resident. During an interview, the resident denied ever having a feeding tube, and a review of her medical record confirmed there was no history of feeding tube use. The resident's diagnoses included Huntington's disease, dysphagia, and nutritional deficiency. Her physician's order specified a regular diet with mechanical soft, thick liquids, and her care plan addressed nutritional concerns related to her condition, but did not mention a feeding tube. Despite this, the quarterly MDS assessment incorrectly indicated that the resident had a feeding tube. Interviews with the MDS Coordinator and the Administrator confirmed that this was a coding error, likely due to the wrong box being marked on the assessment. The error was identified during the survey process, and it was acknowledged that the MDS assessment needed to be modified to reflect the resident's actual status.