Failure to Protect Resident Confidentiality in Meal Ticket Handling
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain the confidentiality of residents' personal and medical information for all 137 residents, as evidenced by meal tickets containing identifiable information being left unattended and easily accessible in the main dining room. Observations showed that returned breakfast trays had meal tickets displaying residents' names, facility identification numbers, colored photographs, room numbers, bed numbers, and dining locations in plain view, while other residents and visitors were present. Additionally, a dietary assistant was seen discarding these meal tickets into a regular trash can during tray cleanup, with the trash later compacted and disposed of in an outside dumpster. The registered dietician confirmed that this practice made residents' personal information easily accessible to others and acknowledged that disposing of the tickets in regular trash did not protect confidentiality. Review of the facility's HIPAA policy indicated a requirement to protect resident information and comply with federal guidelines.