Failure to Notify Responsible Party of Resident Hospitalization
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to notify a resident's family member, who was listed as the emergency contact and responsible party, of a significant change in the resident's condition that resulted in hospitalization. Documentation showed that the resident experienced an episode of choking during a meal, followed by persistent coughing, decreased oxygen saturation, and wheezing. The attending physician was notified, and a new order for a chest X-ray was received. Subsequently, the physician ordered the resident to be transferred to the emergency room, and the resident was transported by ambulance. While the resident was identified as their own responsible party, the quarterly assessment indicated severe cognitive impairment and a care plan diagnosis of severe dementia with mood and speech disturbances. There was no documentation indicating that the representative was only responsible for financial matters or that they should not be notified of changes in the resident's condition. Interviews with staff confirmed that the representative was considered the responsible party and emergency contact, and that they should have been notified of the hospital transfer. However, the representative was not informed of the hospitalization and only learned of it from the hospital. The facility's policy required prompt notification of the resident's representative in the event of a change in condition, but this was not followed in this instance.