Failure to Provide Complete Bed Hold Notice Including Current Per Diem Rate
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a resident or their representative with a written notice specifying the duration of the bed hold policy and the current rate for the reserve bed payment at the time of the resident's transfer to a hospital. Record review showed that the "Bed Hold Notice" given to the resident did not include the basic per diem rate, which is necessary information for decision-making regarding bed hold during a hospital stay. The facility's policy requires that written information about bed hold practices, including reserve bed payment, be provided to all residents and/or their representatives both in advance and at the time of transfer. Interviews with facility staff confirmed that the Social Services Director was responsible for completing the "Bed Hold Notice" forms and acknowledged that the basic per diem rate was omitted from the notice provided to the resident. Although the bed hold rates were reviewed with residents and representatives at admission and rate increases were mailed to representatives, this information was not included on the "Bed Hold Notice" at the time of the resident's transfer. The omission left the resident without all necessary information regarding the bed hold policy and associated costs.