The information below comes from the statement of deficiencies compiled by health inspectors and provided to AHCJ by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It does not include the steps the hospital plans to take to fix the problem, known as a plan of correction. For that information, you should contact the hospital, your state health department or CMS. Accessing the document may require you to file a Freedom of Information Request. Information on doing so is available here.

MEDSTAR GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL 5601 LOCH RAVEN BOULEVARD BALTIMORE, MD 21239 Jan. 31, 2018
VIOLATION: PATIENT RIGHTS: NOTICE OF RIGHTS Tag No: A0117
Based on review of three of three closed records of Medicare recipients, staff interviews, policies and procedure and other documents, it was determined that the hospital failed to provide advance notice to patients and their representatives of the ability to exercise their discharge rights and lacked signature of receipt of the second "An Important Message from Medicare" (IM).

Review of three closed medical records of Medicare recipients patient #1, #2, and #3, revealed that the second IM was not presented to the patient or patient's representative prior to discharge, but at discharge included in the discharge instructions. The hospitals current practice was that the IMs would be printed with the patient's discharge instructions and reviewed by the nurse with the patient during discharge. Failure of the hospital to provide advance notice, prior to active discharge of the patient from the hospital, prevents the patient or patient's representative of exercising their rights, to appeal their discharge, as a Medicare beneficiary.

It was also found that the hospital failed to present the second IM to patients #1 and #2. Review of Medicare recipient's medical records had no evidence of patient signing the second IM. Discharge documentation also lacked verification that the patient and or patient's representative received the second IM or discharge instructions.
The hospital reported not having a policy regarding the IM exclusively. However, within the 'Discharging Patients' policy there are three sentences that mention the IM and confirmed the above practice.

Failure of the hospital to present the second IM prior to the moment of discharge prevents benefices from exercising their rights, to appeal their discharge.