HospitalInspections.org

Based on record review, staff interview, and policy and procedure review, the facility failed to notify, in a timely manner, the Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) or a third party designated by the OPO of individuals whose death is imminent or who have died in the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) for one (1) out of nine (9) patient deaths during the last 12 months. One (1) patient in November of 2017 was not called in.

Findings Include:

Review of the facility's "MORA (Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency) 2017 Tissue Donation Report" and the "MORA 2018 Tissue Donation Report" revealed 1 patient death in November of 2017 was not called in.

During an interview on November 7, 2018 at 10:35 a.m. the Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed that one (1) patient death in November of 2017 was not called in.

Review of the facility's "Organ and Tissue Donation Cooperative Agreement Between Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency And Tallahatchie General Hospital" revealed: " ...Timely Notification for Organ Donation: A timely referral is one that is made as soon as possible (ideally within one (1) hour) and allows MORA to evaluate and determine eligibility for organ donation potential for any severely brain-injured or brain dead patient prior to the withdrawal of the ventilator and/or care ....Timely Notification for Tissue Donation: For individuals who have died a cardiac death, notification is timely if the referral is make as soon as possible, ideally within one (1) hour of the cardiac death ...".