Failure of Medical Director to Coordinate Medical Care and Oversee Resident Care Policies
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that the Medical Director fulfilled responsibilities related to the coordination of medical care and the development and implementation of resident care policies. The Medical Director acknowledged during interview that there was no system in place to monitor regulatory visits by physicians and that a process for required regulatory visits was still being developed. Additionally, the Medical Director stated there was no consistent or scheduled communication between medical providers regarding facility issues or resident status. The Medical Director was unfamiliar with the attending physicians listed in the facility assessment and indicated reliance on the Acting Physician for updates, but no formal process for regular reporting was in place. Further, the Medical Director was not promptly notified of a COVID outbreak in the facility. The Acting Physician informed the Medical Director of the outbreak only after several days had passed since the first case was identified. Facility infection control records showed that the initial COVID cases were identified 11 days prior, and by the time of the survey, multiple staff and residents had tested positive. The lack of timely communication and absence of established processes for coordination and oversight contributed to the deficiency.