Failure to Coordinate Hospice Services in Resident Care Plans
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to develop and maintain a coordinated hospice plan of care that integrated hospice services with facility services for two residents receiving hospice. For one resident with Alzheimer’s disease, CAD, and atrial fibrillation, the Significant Change MDS documented severely impaired cognition and extensive assistance needs for bed mobility and transfers, and indicated the resident was receiving hospice services. The resident’s care plan noted a terminal prognosis due to Alzheimer’s, directed staff to adjust ADL care, consult the physician for hospice care in the facility, and monitor and treat pain, but it did not include instructions on hospice services such as hospice staff visit schedules, supplies, medical equipment, or medications covered by hospice. The clinical record showed the resident had been admitted to hospice care months earlier, yet there was no documented evidence of coordination of care between hospice and the facility. For the second resident, diagnosed with PVD, DM, HTN, and atherosclerotic heart disease, the Significant Change MDS showed severe cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of two and dependence on staff for most ADLs, and documented that the resident received hospice services. The resident’s care plan recorded admission to hospice and directed staff to adjust ADL provision, encourage participation as desired, assess coping, respect wishes, and consult with the physician and hospice for continuing hospice care, as well as monitor for pain and notify the physician and hospice for breakthrough pain. However, the care plan lacked a hospice contact number, information on what supplies, equipment, and medications hospice would provide, and details on when hospice staff would be in the building and what care they would deliver. Observations and staff interviews confirmed these omissions. One resident was observed in bed receiving eye drops from a CMA, and during record review, the Administrative Nurse acknowledged that the facility care plan lacked specific information coordinating with the hospice care plan. For the second resident, the Administrative Nurse verified that the care plan did not contain information regarding hospice visits, phone numbers, or medical supplies provided by hospice, and stated that such information should be on the resident’s care plan. These findings were inconsistent with the facility’s Hospice Services policy, which required an interdisciplinary care plan integrating facility and hospice services, including coordination of services and supplies provided by the hospice provider.
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