Missed Physician Visit for Newly Admitted Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to ensure that a resident was seen by a physician at the required intervals following admission, as outlined in the facility's Physician Visits Policy. The policy mandates that newly admitted residents must be seen by a physician at least once every 30 days for the first 90 days, and then at least every 60 days thereafter. Record review and staff interviews confirmed that a resident with severe, unspecified dementia with mood disturbance and anxiety, as well as other medical conditions including persistent atrial fibrillation and generalized muscle weakness, was not seen by a physician in the month of April, resulting in a missed 60-day visit after admission. Both the Assistant Director of Nursing and the Interim Nursing Home Administrator acknowledged that the required physician visit and corresponding signed orders for that period were missed.