HospitalInspections.org

Based on review of hospital documents, surveyor observations and interviews with staff, the hospital failed to ensure patients/patients' representatives are informed how to file a grievance with the State agency and that all grievances/complaints not resolved at the time of the complaint by staff present are included in the hospital's grievance process.

Findings:

1. The hospital's grievance policy or patient admission handout did not include how to access the State agency to file a complaint. The policy and the handout did not have the address and telephone numbers as required.

2. Four of four complaints/grievances reviewed during the investigation that required an investigation and were not taken care of at the time with staff present did not receive a written response.

3. Hospital stated on 08/23/11 in the afternoon that the information on how to access the State agency to file a complaint was on a notice in the hallway across from the ICU. The majority of the patients in this long term acute care hospital would most likely be unable to easily access this information due to the severity of their condition. The phone number for the State agency was also incorrect and was the number for the nursing home division not the hospital division.