Elara Caring

The agency failed to ensure the patients had an emergency plan in their home for 2 of 4 home visit observations (Patients #2 and #3).

The agency failed to ensure the registered nurse (RN), developed home health aide instructions for patient care that were specific and individualized to the patient's needs for 1 of 4 sampled patients receiving home health aide services (Patient #5).

The agency failed to comprehensively provide wound or ostomy assessments for 3 of 3 sampled patients with wounds, Patient #3, #9, and #10. Failure to accurately and thoroughly complete wound, ostomy, or stoma assessments placed patients at an increased risk of unidentified condition changes.

The home health agency failed to ensure the drug regimen review identified at a minimum the effectiveness of drug therapy, drug side effects, actual or potential drug interactions, duplicate drug therapy, and/or patient compliance with medications for 4 of 10 sampled patients (Patients #1, #2, #8…

The agency failed to include all medical supplies, equipment and medications on Plans of Care (POCs) for 4 of 10 sampled patients, Patient #1, #2, #3, and #4. Failure to maintain complete and accurate POCs with current orders for medical supplies, equipment and medications placed the patients at…

The agency failed to ensure a registered nurse or other appropriate health care professional completed home health aide supervision at least every 14 days for 2 of 4 sampled patients who received hands on personal care services in conjunction with a skilled service provision (Patients #5 and #7).

The agency failed to ensure registered nurses provided individualized and specific written patient care instructions to agency home health aides for 1 of 2 sampled patients receiving home health aide services (Patients #2).

The agency failed to ensure the accurate completion of all components comprising the Plan of Care for 3 of 4 sampled patients (Patients #1, #3 and #4) with a home visit observation.

The agency failed to ensure the policy included the development of a procedure to inform State and local officials specifically of homebound patients in need of evacuation due to an emergency situation.

The agency failed to complete a written emergency preparedness plan that included procedures to inform State and local officials of any on duty staff and patients they are unable to contact in the event of an interruption of services related to an emergency.

The agency failed to identify the process for protection of patient documentation and process to keep the information from unauthorized access should an emergent situation occur.

The agency failed to have a written policy and procedure for the use of volunteers in an emergency, including the process and role for integration of State and Federally designated health care professionals to address surge needs during an emergency.

The agency failed to ensure training in the agency's emergency preparedness policies and procedures to 12 of 12 contracted home health aides consistent with their expected roles in the event of an emergency/disaster.

The agency failed to ensure staff provided care in accordance with accepted infection control standards of practice observed during a home visit for 1 of 4 sampled patients (Patients #1 and #2) with home visits.

The agency: 1. failed to ensure 2 of 2 sampled home health aides (Home Health Aides F and G), assigned to perform tasks requiring extra skills exceeding the level of basic home health skills for 1 of 1 sampled patients (Patient #6), had documented evidence of competency by a registered nurse (RN)…

The agency failed to provide individualized and specific written patient care instructions from a registered nurse to agency home health aides for 4 of 5 sampled patients receiving home health aide services (Patients #1, #6, #7 and #9).

The agency failed to perform complete and accurate drug regimen reviews with corresponding comprehensive assessments for 4 of 10 sampled patients (Patients #1, #2, #6 and #8).

The agency failed to complete updates to the comprehensive assessments at recertification in the last five days of each 60 day period for 1 of 1 patients (Patient #6) receiving care paid for by two different funding sources receiving current skilled and unskilled services from the agency at the…

The agency failed to ensure the accurate completion of all components comprising the Plan of Care, including all supplies and equipment used by the patient to meet his/her needs and an accurate list of the patient's current medications for 4 of 10 sampled patients (Patients #2, #3, #4 and #5).

The agency failed to update the Plan of Care with all new physician orders for 7 of 7 sampled patients with interim physician's orders.

The agency failed to provide medications, treatments or services only as ordered by the physician for 2 of 10 sampled patients (Patients #3 and #8).

The agency failed to ensure home health aides provided care to agency patients only as ordered by the physician in the Plan of Care and/or as directed by the skilled professional assigning the home health aide to the patient for 4 of 5 sampled patients receiving home health aide services (Patients…

The agency failed to ensure the clinical record included current information associated with the current episode of care for 4 of 10 sampled patients (Patients #3, #5, #6 and #8).

The agency failed to complete and send a transfer/discharge summary to the receiving facility in 2 business days of the patient's transfer and send a discharge summary to the physician responsible for providing care to the patient and any other health care providers who will care for the patient…