Failure to Inform Residents of Rights and Facility Rules at Admission
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to consistently inform residents and/or their legal representatives of the facility's rules, regulations, resident rights, and Medicaid rights and responsibilities at the time of admission. This deficiency was identified through interviews and record reviews for four out of five sampled residents, all of whom were recently admitted. The records for these residents did not contain documentation that the admission agreement, which includes information on resident rights, facility rules, and Medicaid obligations, was reviewed or discussed with them or their representatives as required. Specifically, residents with varying cognitive abilities, including those who were cognitively intact and those with severe cognitive impairment, were not provided with or did not recall receiving information regarding their rights and facility expectations upon admission. Interviews with these residents confirmed that they were not informed about the facility rules, resident rights, or Medicaid rights and responsibilities. Additionally, a review of the facility's admissions over a 30-day period revealed that only two out of 36 admission packets contained the required information, further indicating a systemic issue. Staff interviews revealed uncertainty regarding the timeframe for completing admission paperwork and acknowledged that the process had not been completed timely due to a vacancy in the admissions director/coordinator position. Staff responsible for admissions confirmed that the lack of timely completion of admission packets resulted in residents and/or their representatives not being fully informed of their rights, facility rules, and responsibilities at the time of admission.