Unattended Medication Carts Exposed Confidential Resident Information
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain the confidentiality of residents' medical information by leaving three of four medication carts unattended in hallways with computer screens open displaying identifiable resident information. Facility policy titled HIPAA Security Measures, dated 12/11/25, required the implementation of reasonable and appropriate measures to protect and maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of residents' identifiable information and electronic records. Despite this policy, surveyors observed the Vineyard and Rosewood medication carts on 1/29/26 sitting beside each other in a hallway, unattended, with computer screens open and visible to any passerby, displaying residents' personal and confidential information. During interviews conducted immediately following these observations, an LPN (Employee E1) confirmed that the Vineyard cart computer screen had been left unattended and open with identifiable information visible, and an RN (Employee E2) similarly confirmed the same issue with the Rosewood cart. On 1/31/26, surveyors again observed the Rosewood 2 medication cart left unattended in the hallway with its computer screen open and displaying identifiable resident information. An RN (Employee E3) stated they had been in a resident room and confirmed that the Rosewood 2 cart was left unattended with confidential information visible. The Nursing Home Administrator later confirmed that the facility failed to maintain the confidentiality of residents' medical information on the Vineyard, Rosewood, and Rosewood 2 medication carts, as required by applicable Pennsylvania regulations regarding licensee responsibility, resident rights, medical records, and nursing services.
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