Failure to Arrange Transportation for Oncology and Infusion Appointments
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to follow its appointments and transportation policy by not arranging transportation for a resident’s outside oncology and infusion appointments. The resident is an adult male with mild cognitive impairment and an admitting diagnosis that includes malignant neoplasm of the mouth, as documented on the MDS. On one observation, he was noted in bed with swollen lips and was unable to communicate effectively. The facility’s policy, reviewed on 4/16/2025, states that when a resident has an appointment outside the facility, staff will make transportation arrangements unless the responsible party chooses to make them. The DON acknowledged not remembering why the resident missed appointments and stated that the resident has the right to go for an appointment and that staff are supposed to set it up. Record review showed that the resident had multiple scheduled outside appointments, including cardiology, oncology, and infusion visits. Physician orders documented that on 2/4/26 he was scheduled for a cardiology appointment at 9:05 AM, an oncology appointment at 12:00 PM, and an infusion appointment at 2:00 PM. The transportation schedule and nursing progress notes from 2/1/26 through 2/6/26 showed that he was sent only to the cardiology appointment and not to the oncology or infusion appointments. A review of the January transportation schedule and nursing progress notes from 1/25/26 through 1/30/26 further documented that he was not sent to an oncology appointment scheduled for 1/27/26 at 11:40 AM. The oncology clinic nurse practitioner reported that the resident missed around five appointments with various care providers, and that the resident stated he missed appointments due to lack of transportation, communication, and not writing the appointments in the records for staff to follow up after setting transportation. The nurse practitioner stated the resident is at high risk for relapse if he misses his oncology appointments.
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