Failure to Ensure Timely Physician Visits
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that physician visits were conducted at least once every 60 days for three residents. Interviews with the residents revealed that they had not seen their physician since their previous physician stopped coming to the facility, and had only been seen by a nurse practitioner. This was further corroborated during a resident council meeting, where the majority of residents present stated they had not seen a physician since the previous one stopped visiting, and had only seen the nurse practitioner. Review of the clinical records for the three residents showed a lack of physician visit documentation between August 2024 and December 2024. Subsequent physician notes were signed by both the nurse practitioner and the physician, but it was unclear who actually conducted the visits. The Assistant Director of Nursing confirmed that the physician and nurse practitioner visited on different days and that the records did not clearly indicate who saw the residents, nor was there evidence that the residents were seen by a physician during the specified period.