Failure to Involve Court-Appointed Conservator in Discharge Planning
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to ensure that the court-appointed Conservator, designated as the Responsible Party (RP) for a resident with severe cognitive impairment and a diagnosis of schizophrenia, was involved in the resident's discharge planning. The resident was dependent on staff for all activities of daily living, and the facility's records indicated that the Conservator had been appointed prior to the discharge event. Despite this, discharge planning discussions and decisions were conducted with a family member who was not the legal Conservator. The discharge was executed per the family member's request, and the resident was released into the family member's care without the involvement or consent of the Conservator. Facility staff, including the Social Services Director and Director of Nursing, stated they were unaware of the Conservatorship at the time of discharge, as this information was not provided upon admission. The facility's policy required that discharge planning involve the IDT, the resident, and the Responsible Party, but this protocol was not followed in this case.