Failure to Notify Family of Resident Hospitalization and Discharge
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to communicate with a resident's emergency family contacts regarding significant events, including the resident's hospitalization and subsequent discharge. The resident was admitted to the facility and later sent to the emergency department due to safety concerns after being found unredirectable and walking towards traffic. Documentation in the electronic medical record did not show any evidence that the facility informed the resident's family about the safety incident, the hospitalization, or the discharge from the facility. Interviews with the resident's emergency contacts revealed that they were not notified of the resident's hospitalization or discharge. One family member only learned of the hospitalization after visiting the facility and being told by staff that the resident had been taken to the hospital by paramedics. The family also reported difficulty obtaining information from the facility and was not informed about the resident's discharge until they visited in person. The facility administrator and social worker confirmed that there was no documentation of communication with the family regarding these events, and the facility was unable to provide a discharge policy.