Delay in Therapy Evaluation for Resident with Contracture Risk
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure timely provision of specialized rehabilitative services for a resident with a history of cerebral infarction and functional limitation in range of motion. A request for physical and occupational therapy was made due to the resident's complaint of left leg stiffness, and at the time of referral, the resident's knee was slightly bent but not contracted. However, there was a 15-day delay between the therapy referral and the physical therapy evaluation, as a physical therapist was not available and therapy assistants were not permitted to perform the initial evaluation. Interviews with facility staff confirmed that the delay did not meet the facility's expectation for therapy evaluations to be completed within 24 to 48 hours of referral. The Rehabilitation Director acknowledged that the delay in evaluation and treatment could have contributed to the worsening of the resident's contracture. Facility policy required therapy services to be scheduled in accordance with the resident's treatment plan, which was not followed in this instance.