Delay in Audiology Consultation After Loss of Hearing Aids
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure timely access to audiology services for a resident who had documented hearing impairment and missing hearing aids. The resident, who had diagnoses including a left femur fracture, Parkinson’s disease, and dysphagia, was cognitively severely impaired and totally dependent on staff for several activities of daily living. The resident’s social services assessment documented bilateral hearing aids, and a theft/loss report later showed the right hearing aid was missing. An ENT consultation subsequently documented that the resident had hearing loss and had stopped wearing hearing aids after losing the left one, and recommended an audiogram for further assessment. A physician telephone order was placed for an audiology consultation with follow-up treatment. Despite these findings and orders, the audiogram was not completed until 39 days after it was recommended by the ENT provider. The Social Service Director acknowledged responsibility for scheduling the audiogram and stated that the referral should have been made within seven days of the recommendation. The DON stated that the resident should have been referred to audiology as soon as the missing hearing aid was identified. The resident reported losing her hearing aids and stated she sometimes became upset when she could not hear well, especially when staff spoke to her. Facility policies on resident rights and care of hearing-impaired residents required that residents receive services to maintain their highest practicable well-being and that Social Services refer residents to an audiologist when indicated, but these were not followed in a timely manner for this resident.
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