November 6, 2013
ADSA: NH #2013-022
REPORTING INVESTIGATION RESULTS
Dear Nursing Facility/Home Administrator:
The purpose of this letter is to notify you that Residential Care Services has modified the procedure for reporting facility investigation results.
Facilities are required to report the results of investigations to the facility administrator and to "other officials in accordance with State law" within five working days of an incident. 42 CFR 483.13(c)(4); WAC 388-97-0640(6)(c).
We have become aware that facilities have been reporting the results of investigations to RCS in a variety of ways. For example, some facilities have been sending the investigation results to the field office and others have been providing the results to the CRU hotline. In order to ensure consistent reporting, we have developed the following guidelines for the reporting of investigation results:
- If the information the facility provided to the CRU in its initial report is substantially the same as the information the facility learned during its investigation, the investigation results should be documented and placed in a file that will be available to surveyors or complaint investigators when requested.
- If, during its investigation, the facility learns additional information that is pertinent to the incident or substantially changes the information contained in the initial CRU report, the facility must provide the results of the investigation (or the status of an ongoing investigation) to the CRU hotline (1-800-562-6078) within 5 working days.
The facility reporting requirements described in Chapter 1 of the Nursing Home Guidelines ("the Purple Book") will be amended to include the procedures described above. Here is a link to the amended Nursing Home Guidelines: /sites/default/files/ALTSA/rcs/documents/purplebook.pdf
Once the DSHS moratorium on rulemaking is lifted, we will also amend the nursing home rules to include the changes.
Thank you for your continued commitment to the vulnerable residents we all serve. If you have any questions, please contact your RCS Field Manager.
Sincerely,
E. Irene Owens, Interim Director
Residential Care Services