Discharge Notice Lacked Effective Date for Hospital Transfer
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to include the effective date of discharge on the discharge notice for one resident who was transferred to an acute care hospital. The resident had been admitted for physical and occupational therapy with primary diagnoses of pneumonia and Parkinson's disease, and was transferred to the hospital three days later due to respiratory failure secondary to recurrent aspiration pneumonia. Upon review of the discharge and transfer notice, as well as email documentation sent to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, it was found that the notice provided to both the resident's representative and the Ombudsman did not specify the date of transfer. The Social Services Director confirmed during an interview that the effective discharge date was left blank on the notice.