Failure to Ensure Resident Privacy with Mail Correspondence
Penalty
No penalty information released
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Summary
The facility failed to ensure privacy for a resident regarding mail correspondence. A cognitively intact resident, who was his own responsible party, reported that staff had opened his mail on several occasions without his permission. During an interview, the Activity Director confirmed that staff opened the resident's mail if it appeared to be insurance or a bill. Further interviews with the Social Services Designee and the Business Office Manager revealed that mail was routinely reviewed by these staff members before being delivered to residents, and the Business Office Manager admitted to having opened some mail in the past. The facility's policy states that residents have the right to privacy in sending and receiving mail and email.