Loving Care Agency Inc

The home health agency failed to ensure: patients were informed of and consented to in advance the changes in the care and services that were being furnished by the home health agency (see tag G0434),to ensure patients were advised of the state toll free home health telephone hotline, its contact…

The home health agency failed to ensure: the plan of care was individualized and followed by all agency staff as directed by the primary care physician (see tag G0572), the plan of care contained all diagnoses, dme [durable medical equipment]/supplies, medications and patient-specific interventions…

The home health agency failed to ensure: the agency followed accepted standards of practice for screening employees, visitors and patients for COVID-19 and employees practiced standard/universal precautions to prevent the transmission of infections (see tag G0682), the agency maintained a program…

The home health agency failed to ensure: the administrative and supervisory functions were not delegated to another agency or organization and the organizational structure was set forth, in writing, including lines of authority and services furnished (see tag G0940), the administrator reported to…

The home health agency failed to ensure: the clinical record contained physician orders for discharge (see tag G1012), a completed discharge summary was sent to the primary care practitioner within 5 business days of the patient's discharge (see tag G1022), all entries in the clinical record were…

The home health agency failed to ensure the plan of care was followed and individualized in 8 of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The home health agency failed to follow accepted standards of practice for screening employees, visitors and patients for COVID-19 and failed to ensure all employees practiced standard/universal precautions to prevent the transmission of infections in 2 of 2 home visits.

The home health agency failed to maintain a program for identification, prevention, control and investigation of infectious and communicable diseases specific to care and services provided in the home setting.

The agency failed to provide infection control education to direct care staff in 5 of 5 active personnel records reviewed.

The home health agency failed to ensure home health aides (HHA) furnished home health services only after successfully completing a competency program which was evaluated by observation of the home health aide's performance for personal hygiene and grooming tasks for 2 of 10 home health aide…

The registered nurse failed to include in the written instructions the care the home health aide was to perform in 1 of 1 home visits with a home health aide (#4) and in 1 of 4 records reviewed with home health aide services (#8) in a total sample of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The home health agency failed to ensure all entries in the clinical record were complete and appropriately authenticated to include a signature and title, dated and timed in 10 of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The agency failed to safeguard the clinical record against loss and unauthorized use.

The agency failed to ensure the patient was informed of and consented to in advance the changes in the care and services that were being furnished in 5 of 10 records reviewed.

The agency failed to ensure patients were advised of the state toll free home health telephone hotline, its contact information, and that its purpose is to receive complaints or questions about local HHAs (home health agencies) in 2 of 2 home health visits.

The home health agency failed to notify the physician responsible for the patient's plan of care that the patient was being considered for discharge for cause in 1 of 2 closed records reviewed due to patient discharged by the agency for cause.

The home health agency failed to make efforts to resolve the problem presented by the patient or the behavior of other persons in the patient's home in 1 of 2 closed records reviewed due to patient discharged by the agency for cause.

The agency failed to maintain a system where complaints made by the patient/patient's caregiver regarding care were investigated, which had the potential to affect all patients.

The agency failed to ensure all complaints made by the patient/patient's caregiver were documented along with the resolution of the complaint for 4 of 4 complaints reviewed.

The agency failed to include in the comprehensive assessment the patient's current health status in 1 of 1 patient with a urinary catheter (#5) and in 1 of 1 patient requiring thickened liquids (#8) in a total sample of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The home health agency failed to ensure a review of all medications to identify adverse effects and drug reactions in 1 of 2 home visits conducted (#4) and failed to review identified medication concerns with the physician in 7 of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The home health agency failed to ensure the plan of care contained all diagnoses, dme [durable medical equipment]/supplies, medications and patient-specific interventions for their patients in 5 of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The home health agency failed to promptly alert the physician to any changes in the patient's condition or needs that suggest that outcomes are not being achieved in 3 of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The agency failed to communicate plans to discharge the patient from the agency to the patient, caregiver and physician issuing orders for the plan of care in 6 of 6 patients discharged from the agency in a total sample of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The home health agency failed to coordinate care with other entities providing services to the patient in 3 of 3 clinical records with patients receiving services from other entities in a total sample of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The skilled nurse failed to provide services ordered by the physician as indicated in the plan of care in 5 of 6 records reviewed receiving skilled nursing services in a total sample of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The home health agency failed to ensure the skilled nurse educated the patient about a high-risk medication in 1 of 2 patients with home visits out of a total of 10 records reviewed.

The agency failed to ensure the home health aide provided services included in the plan of care in 1 of 1 home visits with a home health aide (#4), and in 2 of 4 clinical records reviewed with home health aide services in a total sample of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The home health agency failed to ensure home health aide (HHA) duties were provided in 1 out of 2 home visits conducted.

The administrator failed to report to the governing body.

The administrator failed to be responsible for all day-to-day operations of the agency related to infection control and prevention.

The agency failed to authorize in writing by the governing body and the administrator a qualified, pre-designated person to assume the same responsibilities and obligations as the administrator.

The agency failed to ensure the clinical record contained physician orders for discharge in 3 of 4 records where services were discontinued prior to completion of the plan of care in a total sample of 10 clinical records reviewed.

The agency failed to ensure a completed discharge summary was sent to the primary care practitioner within 5 business days of the patient's discharge in 6 of 6 discharged patients in a total sample of 10 clinical records reviewed.