Failure to Provide Discharge Notice and Allow Resident Reentry After Hospitalization
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to provide a required discharge notice for a resident who was sent to the emergency department for suicidal ideation. The resident's medical record did not contain a 30-day discharge notice or an emergency discharge notice, as required by facility policy. The Social Service Director, responsible for discharge planning, was unaware that the resident had been denied reentry to the facility and was not familiar with the rules regarding discharging a resident and denying reentry. The administrator confirmed that the resident had a history of suicidal ideations and, after the hospital attempted to discharge the resident back to the facility, the facility decided to deny reentry due to an inability to provide one-on-one care, which they determined was necessary for the resident's safety. The facility's policy requires that residents receive a transfer/discharge notice with specific information, including the reason for discharge, effective date, location, appeal rights, and contact information for advocacy agencies, at least 30 days prior to discharge unless it is an emergency. In this case, the required notice was not provided, and the facility did not follow the proper process for discharging the resident or for denying reentry after hospitalization. Both the Social Service Director and the administrator indicated a lack of awareness of the regulatory requirements for discharge and reentry, contributing to the deficiency.