Failure to Report Missing Resident to Authorities
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an incident involving a missing resident to the administrator, local law enforcement, and the State Agency as required by regulations. The incident involved a resident who left the facility with a friend to pay rent and did not return as expected. Nursing progress notes documented the resident's absence, but there was no evidence that the administrator or law enforcement were notified at any point during the resident's absence. The administrator later confirmed they were unaware of the situation and stated that the facility would have followed the reporting and investigation process if they had known. The resident involved had a history of hip replacement surgery, bipolar disorder, and anxiety, and required partial to moderate assistance with transfers, bed mobility, dressing, and toileting hygiene. The resident was also noted to have moderately impaired cognition. Despite these vulnerabilities, the absence was not recognized or reported as a missing person incident by staff, and the required notifications and investigation were not initiated.