Failure to Provide Timely Bed Hold Notice to Resident During Hospital Transfer
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a required bed hold notice to a resident who was transferred to the hospital. The resident, who was private pay and cognitively intact, was sent to the emergency room after being found on the bathroom floor in pain. Documentation in the medical record confirmed the transfer and subsequent return from the hospital, but there was no evidence that the resident received a bed hold notice at the time of transfer. The bed hold notice was only signed by the resident several days after returning to the facility, and not prior to or during the hospital stay. Interviews with facility staff and the resident confirmed that the bed hold agreement was not discussed or signed before the hospital transfer. The social worker stated that the agreement was not obtained until after returning from time off, and the resident reported being unaware of the bed hold policy or any associated charges until after her return. Facility policy requires that residents and their representatives be informed of bed hold rights and payment policies prior to transfer, but this was not followed in this instance.