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Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to notify patients of the right to have a family member and/or physician notified of admission. This deficiency is evidenced by failure of the staff to document the patient's desire to notify family in two (#5 and #6) of four (#2, #4, #5, and #6) patients with signed consents to release information to the family.
Findings:

Review of patient rights provided by the facility titled, "The Patient Bill of Rights," fails to identify the right to have a family member and/or physician notified of admission.

Patient #5
Review of the medical record of Patient #5 revealed admission on 09/29/2021. On 09/30/2021 at 9:00 a.m. "Consent to Release/ Obtain Information," was signed by the patient. The form contained the name of a family member with a phone number and the name of a social worker from STARK with a phone number. Further review of the record revealed no documentation the patient was informed of her right to have family or a physician notified of her admission.. The records reveal no documented contact with either person on the consent the entire admission.

Patient #6
Review of the medical record of Patient #6 revealed admission on 03/18/2021. On 03/18/ 2021 at 10:40a.m. "Consent to Release/ Obtain Information," was signed by the patient. Further review of the record revealed no documentation of the patinet being informed of her right to have family or physician contacted.. The first contact with the mother of Patient #6 was on 03/25/2021.

In interview on 10/19/2021 at 1:15 p.m., S3DON explained the patient is admitted and if the patient elects to sign the consent, the family member is then called and given the code for that patient to indicate that consent has been given to release information.

In interview on 10/18/2021 at 2:53 p.m., S2AsstAdm verified there was no there was no documented notification of the family of Patient #5 during the entire admission.

In interview on 10/19/2021 at 11:35 a.m., S2AsstAdm verified there was no documented notification of the family of Patient #6 until the seventh day after admission. S2AsstAdm stated she and S1Adm were not aware the regulation existed.

Based on record review and interview, the RN failed to ensure all nursing staff followed the policies of the facility. The deficiency is evidenced by the failure of nursing staff to promptly notify the family of the emergency transfer for care in one (#5) of one (#5) patients transferred with documented consent to inform the family.
Findings:

Review of hospital policy titled, "Medical Emergency Transfer to Another Facility," in part reveals, "After emergency procedures have been initiated and the physician has given transfer orders, the Registered Nurse must: 1. Ensure notification of the physician; 2. Notify patient's family/ significant other of the patient's transfer; 3. Complete the Emergency Transfer sheet,,,"

Patient #5
Review of the medical record revealed that on 09/29/2021 the patient signed the consent to inform her daughter and social worker of her medical condition.

Review of the medical record of Patient #5 revealed on 10/03/2021 at 8:30 p.m. the patient fell and required emergency transfer to the nearest emergency room.

Review of the "Hospital Transfer Sheet" revealed the nurse did not notify the patient's family as per protocol.

In interview on 10/18/2021 at 2:53 p.m., S2AsstAdm verified the hospital policy. She verified the nurse did not notify the family of Patient #5 of the transfer to the hospital according to the hospital policy. S2AsstAdm verified Patient #5 signed the consent to notify the family.

Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure an effective transition of the patient from hospital to post-discharge care. This failure is evidenced by inadequate discharge planning in one (#5) of five (#2, #3, #4, #5, and #6) closed records reviewed.

Patient #5
Review of the medical record for Patient #5 revealed admission on 09/29/2021 and discharge on 10/07/2021. Admission records revealed the patient lived alone and had a daytime sitter provided by the VOA. Patient #5 had a history of medication non-compliance and multiple psychiatric hospitalizations. The patient signed the consent for her daughter and her social worker to receive medical information.

Review of notes for discharge planning revealed only the initial discharge plan for the patient to return home. There were no documented attempts to contact the daughter or social worker about the feasibility of this plan or the condition of the home after Hurricane Ida. The record reveals no documented attempts to notify the daughter or the social worker of the impending discharge of Patient #5. The record reveals no documentation staff forwarded the patient's hospital record to the assigned social worker.

Review of the "Discharge/ Aftercare Plan" for Patient #5 revealed medical follow-up with Dr. Cropper at 1631 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans, LA and a phone number of 504-246-2119. Investigation revealed the office is closed and the phone is disconnected. The business currently at that address has been there three years and staff verified Dr. Cropper has never worked there and they do not lease space to independent physicians.

In interview on 10/18/2021 at 3:00p.m., S2AsstAdm verified that there is no documentation the daughter or social worker of Patient #5 were involved in the discharge planning. There is no documentation the facility sent the social worker information about the hospitalization.

In interview on 10/19/2021 at 9:45 a.m., S2AsstAdm agreed the referral to the physician was not acceptable and she verified there was no evidence staff tried to contact the physician or send records related to the hospitalization.