Emerald Home Health, Inc

The home health agency failed to ensure its management and operation were effective and operating within all legal bounds when: 1. The agency furnished dietary/nutrition counseling services not included in its current, State- licensed approved home health services.

The home health agency failed to ensure advanced directive information was included in the plans of care of all its active patients.

The home health agency failed to update the medication list for one of seven sampled patients (Patient 4).

The CONDITION OF PARTICIPATION is not met as evidenced by: 1. The home health agency (HHA) failed to develop develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure that all staff are fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

The facility failed to ensure three of seven sampled patients (Patient 7, 5, and 1), Plan of Care ((POC) an individualized written plan that specifies the care and services necessary to meet the patient’s needs and goals) were accurate and complete.

The home health agency (HHA) failed to develop and implement policy and procedures to ensure that all staff are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. The HHA failed to develop policies and procedures ensuring staff who have pending requests for delayed vaccinations or exemptions for vaccinations, and a…

The home health agency (HHA) failed to ensure two of seven sampled patients (Patient 7 and Patient 5), medical record documents were authenticated (reviewed and approved) with a date, signature, and title of the home health staff.

The agency failed to ensure skilled nurse (SN 1) communicated to the agency and other personnel furnishing services, of a change in oxygen utilization necessary for one of seven patients (Patient 6).

The agency failed to ensure skilled nurse staff communicated to the agency and other personnel furnishing services, of a change in medication direction for two of seven sampled patients (Patient 6 and Patient 5).

The home health agency (HHA) failed to ensure one of seven sampled patients (Patient7) a care conference (a meeting to identify patient needs and factors that could affect patient safety and the effectiveness of treatment) was conducted.

The form indicated "Patient/Patient care giver verbalized happy with LVN service." The form was not signed.

The home health agency (HHA) failed to ensure Registered Nurse (RN) onsite supervisory visits for the Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA) services was completed every 14 days for two of two sampled patients (Patients 4 and 5).

The home health agency (HHA) failed to ensure the patient's clinical record was confidential and secure for one of 10 patients (Patient 3) when the skilled nurse (SN) used a personal cell phone to take photographs of Patient 3's wounds.

The home health agency (HHA) failed to provide evidence of case conferences or documentation of effective communication between providers in the clinical record to ensure continuity, consistency of care service two of 10 patients (Patients 1 and 2).

The home health agency (HHA) failed to ensure the plan of care (POC) was followed for one of ten sampled patients (Patient 2).

The home health agency (HHA) did not ensure the plan of care (POC) was specific for one of 10 sampled patients (Patient 6).

The home health agency (HHA) failed to ensure infection control precautions were followed for three of 10 sampled patients (Patients 1, 3, and 4).

The home health agency (HHA) failed to ensure the physician was notified of one of 10 sampled patient's (Patient 6) initial rash assessment and worsening of the rash over one month.

The home health agency (HHA) did not ensure the clinical records were maintained and current for two of 10 sampled patients (Patient 1 and 6).

The home health agency (HHA) failed to ensure the medication review for three of 10 sampled patient's (Patients 3, 4, and 6) correctly identified all of the medications the patients were taking.