Failure to Investigate Alleged Theft and Unauthorized Bank Charge
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to investigate a resident’s allegation that his wallet was missing and that an unauthorized $800.00 charge was made to his bank account after his wallet was reported lost. The resident, who had intact cognition per a recent MDS and diagnoses including metabolic encephalopathy, pneumonia, acute chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia, and diabetes mellitus, was initially admitted and then transferred to a general acute care hospital (GACH) for drowsiness and refusal to eat. His Inventory of Personal Effects documented a billfold/wallet, two credit cards, and four check booklets. While he was at the GACH, he realized his wallet was missing when a family member could not locate it in its usual drawer next to his bed. Upon readmission, the facility’s Theft and Loss Log recorded that he reported his wallet missing and that it was later replaced, but the Theft/Loss Report left blank the sections for estimated value and whether the item was on the inventory form. The resident reported to a social services staff member that $800.00 was missing from his bank account and that the bank would reimburse the money. He also stated that his wallet had contained his credit card, Medicare card, Medi-Cal card, social security card, family pictures, and cash, and that someone had charged $800.00 to his credit card before the bank reversed the charge. The resident reported that he informed a social services specialist of both the theft of his wallet and the unauthorized withdrawal, and that although the wallet itself was replaced, the contents were not. A family member later contacted another social services staff member to report that the wallet and its contents, including identification and financial cards, were still missing and expressed concern that no investigation had been conducted into the theft while the resident was at the GACH. Despite these reports, the facility did not initiate an investigation into the allegation of the unauthorized $800.00 charge until nearly two months after the wallet was reported missing, as reflected in the Five Day Report. The social services specialist acknowledged that the allegation of missing funds could imply that someone from the facility took the wallet but stated he did not report or investigate the matter because the bank was handling the reimbursement. The administrator reported he was unaware of the resident’s report of the missing $800.00 and stated that such an allegation should have been investigated. The facility’s policy on investigating incidents of theft and/or misappropriation of resident property requires that all reports of theft or misappropriation be promptly and thoroughly investigated and that the administrator appoint a staff member to investigate, which did not occur in this case.
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