HospitalInspections.org

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Based on review of facility policies and procedures, medical records, and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to provide Medicare patients with the second notice of the Important Message from Medicare (IM) upon discharge in two (2) of two (2) medical records of discharged Medicare patients requiring the second notice (#s 15 and 17).

Findings were:

Review of facility policy, entitled Important Message from Medicare Flow-Sheet, no date, no policy number, revealed that on discharge, the patient/patient representative was to update the Important Message form with a new signature and date. The policy further stated that delivery of the copy of the signed notice could not be more than two calendar days before the patient was to be discharged.

Three (3) of five (5) discharged patient medical records reviewed (#s 15, 16 and 17) were Medicare patients who required the Important Message on discharge. One (1) of the three patients (#16) was discharged to a lower level of care and therefore, did not require the second notice. Two (2) of the two (2) remaining Medicare patients (#s 15 and 17) were discharged to home and failed to receive the second notice.

During an interview on 12/16/2010 at 1:45 p.m. in the facility's conference room, the Case Manager (employee # 18) stated that she/he was unaware that patients required a second copy of the Important Message. She/he stated that all patients were given a copy of the IM on admission, but not on discharge.