Failure to Promptly Notify Physician of Abnormal Lab Results
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide timely notification of abnormal laboratory results to a resident's physician, as required by facility policy. Specifically, a resident was admitted with the capacity to make medical decisions and had physician orders for stat CBC, BMP, and urinalysis with culture and sensitivity, as well as IV hydration. The laboratory results for these tests, including a significantly elevated WBC, abnormal urinalysis findings, and a high BUN, were received and reported by the laboratory, but there was no documented evidence that these abnormal results were promptly communicated to the resident's physician. Interviews with nursing staff, including an LVN and an RN, confirmed that the abnormal laboratory results were not promptly reported to the physician and that there was no documentation of such notification in the resident's medical record. The facility's policies required prompt notification of out-of-range laboratory results to the ordering provider, but this was not followed in the case of this resident. The DON acknowledged these findings during the investigation.