Failure to Protect Resident Confidentiality in Meal Ticket Disposal
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of residents' personal and medical information when meal tray tickets containing residents' names and diet information were disposed of in the general kitchen garbage. During observation, a Dietary Aide was seen discarding these meal tickets into a garbage can, which was later emptied into an outside bin accessible to the public. The Dietary Aide confirmed that this was the usual practice for meal tickets left on trays. The Dietary Supervisor stated that the expected procedure was for staff to collect meal tickets and bring them to the supervisor's office for shredding, acknowledging that the tickets contained sensitive resident information. Review of facility policy confirmed residents' rights to confidential treatment of health records.