Failure to Notify and Document Bed Hold Status Upon Resident Transfer
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to notify and confirm bed hold status with a resident's family representative upon the resident's transfer to an acute care hospital. The resident, who had a diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), was transferred out of the facility, but there was no documentation indicating that the family representative was informed or that confirmation of the bed hold was obtained. Review of the Bed Hold Notification Informed Consent Form and interviews with staff, including the DON, Business Office Manager, and Licensed Nurses, confirmed that the required notification and documentation were not completed at the time of transfer. Multiple staff members acknowledged during interviews that the process for notifying and confirming bed hold with the family representative was not followed or documented. The facility's policy required written notice of the bed hold policy to be provided to the resident or representative at the time of transfer or within 24 hours in the case of emergency transfers. The lack of notification and documentation led to confusion for the family representative regarding bed hold payment.