Failure to Provide Written Bed-Hold Information Upon Hospital Transfer
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide written information regarding bed-hold options to residents or their responsible parties upon transfer to an acute care hospital, as required by facility policy. For three sampled residents who were transferred to the hospital, medical record reviews showed no documentation that written bed-hold information was given. The facility's policy specifies that prior to transfer, residents and their representatives must receive detailed written information about bed-hold rights, payment policies, and per diem rates for holding a bed beyond the state's bed-hold period. The Bedhold Notification Upon Transfer form, which is intended to document this process, was not found in the records of the affected residents. Interviews with the LVN responsible for the residents during their transfers revealed that while the nurse obtained physician orders for bed-holds and verbally asked residents or their responsible parties if they wanted a bed-hold, no written information was provided. The LVN was unaware of the specifics regarding bed-hold payments and only discussed the option verbally. The facility administrator confirmed that all residents should be offered written information about bed-hold options upon transfer, but this was not done for the residents in question.