Failure to Provide Complete Bed Hold and Transfer Notices to Resident Representative
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide complete and accurate written notice of the bed hold policy and transfer to a resident's responsible representative during a hospitalization event. The resident in question was not capable of making health care decisions, and a responsible representative had been identified. When the resident was transferred to the hospital, documentation indicated that the bed hold policy and reason for transfer/discharge were sent to the representative, but the method of delivery was unclear, and the actual forms lacked required information. Review of the Notification of Resident Hospital Transfer form revealed that critical sections, such as the reason for transfer and the location of transfer, were left blank. The form also failed to include necessary contact information for appealing the transfer, such as the name, address, or telephone number of the entity handling appeals, and the contact information for the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The bed hold notice form was also incomplete, missing essential details such as the reason for the notice, whether a bed hold was requested, the per diem rate, and the actual bed hold policy attachment. Additionally, the bed hold policy referenced outdated information, stating that the state pays for 14 days of bed hold, which has not been the case since 2012. Interviews with staff revealed inconsistent practices regarding notification. The social worker reported only sending the bed hold notice if specifically requested by the representative and did not document phone calls to the family. There was also a lack of clarity and documentation regarding whether the required notifications had actually been sent, and staff were unable to provide current per diem rates when asked. These actions and omissions resulted in the failure to ensure that the resident's representative received all required information regarding transfer, appeal rights, and bed hold policies.