Failure to Conduct Required Quarterly Care Conferences
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to conduct quarterly Care Conferences (CC) for one resident, as required by policy and regulatory standards. Clinical record review showed that the resident had multiple medical conditions, including coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, Alzheimer's disease, non-Alzheimer's dementia, venous insufficiency, and seborrheic dermatitis. The resident's care plan indicated risks related to impaired skin integrity and lower extremity edema, with several modifications made to address these issues. Despite these needs, documentation revealed that Care Conference Summaries were only completed on two occasions, with no records for three other required quarters. Interviews with the resident's family and staff confirmed that Care Conferences were not consistently held. The Social Services designee stated that CCs are scheduled after MDS assessments and that notifications are sent to residents and their representatives, but was unaware of any previous paper documentation for missed conferences. The Director of Nursing confirmed that care plan conferences should occur quarterly or upon a change in condition. Facility policy also required quarterly interdisciplinary care plan reviews with resident and family input, which was not met in this case.