Resident Health Information Left Unattended and Visible
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident's Medication Administration Record (MAR) was left unattended and visible on a computer screen in a public area of the facility. The medication cart, located on the 300 Unit between the kitchen and porch, was observed without staff present, and the MAR containing the resident's protected health information was accessible to anyone passing by. The resident involved had been admitted with diagnoses including heart failure, stroke, and bipolar disorder. Facility policy, as outlined in the HIPAA Privacy Addendum, prohibits the disclosure of protected health information. Despite this, the MAR was left exposed when the responsible RN was not present in the hallway. Both the RN and the Director of Nursing acknowledged during interviews that health information should be kept confidential and that computers should be closed when unattended.