Failure to Ensure Timely Hospice Certification and Communication
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure there was a process for communicating hospice services for one of two residents reviewed for hospice services. A resident with a history of hemiplegia and hemiparesis following a cerebral infarction was admitted with physician orders to receive hospice care for end-stage stroke. During review, it was found that the physician's certification for hospice had expired, and the Social Service Director (SSD), who was responsible for coordinating hospice care, was not aware of the expired certification. Despite the expiration, the SSD believed the resident was still under hospice care. Interviews with facility staff, including a licensed nurse and the Director of Nursing (DON), revealed that hospice re-certification is necessary to determine continued eligibility for hospice services. The facility's policy indicated that obtaining physician certification and recertification is required for each resident under hospice care. However, the lack of awareness and communication regarding the expired certification demonstrated a breakdown in the process for ensuring proper coordination and documentation of hospice services for the resident.