Failure to Provide Timely Written Bed Hold Notices After Hospital Transfer
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a written bed hold notice to the responsible parties of two residents within 24 hours of their transfer to a general acute care hospital, as required by facility policy and federal regulations. Both residents had cognitive impairments and required varying levels of assistance with activities of daily living. Documentation showed that while the responsible parties were verbally informed of the bed hold policy at the time of transfer and had previously received information upon admission, there was no evidence that a written notice was created or provided within the required timeframe following the hospital transfer. Record reviews and interviews confirmed that the Social Services Director notified the responsible parties verbally but could not produce documentation of a written bed hold notice for either resident after their transfer. The facility's policy specifies that written information regarding bed hold policies must be provided at the time of transfer or within 24 hours if the transfer is an emergency. The absence of this documentation resulted in an incomplete record regarding the residents' bed hold status and notification to their responsible parties.