Failure to Provide Required Bed Hold Policy Notification at Hospital Transfer
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a resident and their representative with written information regarding the bed hold policy, reserve bed payment policy, and the right to return to the facility when the resident was transferred to the hospital. Although the facility's policy requires that written information be given before any hospital transfer or therapeutic leave, including details on the duration of the bed hold, payment policies, and appeal rights, neither the resident nor their representative received such documentation at the time of transfer. The only documentation found was a Financial Consent to Bed Hold form signed at admission over three years prior, which did not meet the requirement for notification at the time of transfer. Staff interviews revealed that while the bed hold policy is reviewed and signed upon admission, the actual bed hold letter provided at the time of transfer lacked essential information such as the daily rate for bed reserve payment and did not include a signature line for acknowledgment. Staff also indicated that the bed hold notice is sent with the resident in a packet to the hospital, but is not directly discussed with the resident or their representative, and key details such as the daily rate and appeal rights are not communicated. The resident in question had moderate cognitive impairment and an activated Power of Attorney for Healthcare, further emphasizing the need for proper notification to the representative.