HospitalInspections.org

Based on review of documentation and interviews, it was determined that the Hospital failed to ensure that all inpatients received the standardized notice "An Important Message from Medicare" (IM) in one (Patient #1) out of ten medical records reviewed.

Findings include:

Review of Patient #1's medical record indicated that Patient #1 was admitted from observation status to an inpatient on 12/16/2011 and discharged to an acute rehabilitation facility on 12/17/2011. Documentation did not indicate that Patient #1 or Patient #1's family received and signed the IM.

The Director of Case Management was interviewed in person on 12/15/11 at 3:00 P.M. She said that within the last month or so, the Hospital identified that there was a problem with ensuring patients who had their status change from observation to inpatient were consistently provided with the IM information when a case manager was not on duty. Although there had been ongoing meetings, a process for who will be responsible for delivery of the IM information to patients and/or their family when a case manager is not on duty, had not been decided.