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1 Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities Report to the Minnesota Legislature explaining the investigative process and summarizing investigations from July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2006 and Information on Deficiencies Issued by OHFC from October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006 Minnesota Department of Health March 2007 Commissioner s Office 625 Robert Street N, Suite 500 P.O. Box St. Paul, MN (651)
2 Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities Report to the Minnesota Legislature explaining the investigative process and summarizing investigations from July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2006 and Information on Deficiencies Issued by OHFC from October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006 March 2007 For more information, contact: Office of Health Facility Complaints Minnesota Department of Health P.O. Box St. Paul, MN Phone: (651) TDD: (651) As requested by Minnesota Statute 3.197: This report cost approximately $6, to prepare, including staff time, printing and mailing expenses. To obtain a copy of this document in an accessible format (electronic ASCII text, Braille, large print, or audio) please call (651) Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may call us through Minnesota Relay by dialing or Printed on recycled paper.
3 Introduction... 2 Part 1: State Fiscal Year Information... 2 Background... 2 OHFC Responsibilities... 3 How OHFC Receives Information... 4 Types of Maltreatment Allegations and Other Concerns Received by OHFC... 5 How OHFC Reviews Information the Intake and Triage Processes Intake Process Triage Process Onsite Investigations Resolution of Onsite Investigative Reviews Conducted in State FY04, FY05, FY Evaluation of the OHFC Complaint Process Adequacy of Staffing Part 2: The Authority and Responsibility of the Office of Health Facility Complaints Regarding Federally Certified Nursing Homes Combination of State and Federal Provisions Specific Components of the Investigative Process for Nursing Homes Differences Between the Investigative Process and the Survey Process Immediate Jeopardy and Substandard Quality of Care Determinations Results of OHFC Complaint Investigations FFY Timelines for the Issuance of Deficiencies and Conducting of Revisits Independent Informal Dispute Resolution (IIDR) and Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) Areas of Focus in FFY Areas of Focus for FFY Appendix A: OHFC Policy and Procedures... i Appendix B: OHFC Quality Improvement Plan... iv Appendix C: FFY06 State Performance Measures Review Report... vii Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
4 Introduction Minnesota Statutes, section , requires the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to annually report to the Legislature and the Governor information about alleged maltreatment in licensed health care entities. Minnesota Statutes, section , subdivision 12b, paragraph (e), states: Summary of reports. The commissioners of health and human services shall each annually report to the legislature and the governor on the number and type of reports of alleged maltreatment involving licensed facilities reported under this section, the number of those requiring investigation under this section, and the resolution of those investigations. The report shall identify: (1) whether and where backlogs of cases result in a failure to conform with statutory time frames; (2) where adequate coverage requires additional appropriations and staffing; and (3) any other trends that affect the safety of vulnerable adults. In order to provide an appropriate context for the information specified in the law, this report will also address the Department s complaint investigation responsibilities relating to health care facilities. This report will provide summary data relating to the number of complaints and facility reported incidents received during state FY 04 to state FY 06; will provide summary data as to the nature of the allegations contained within those complaints and reports; describe the Office of Health Facility Complaints (OHFC) process from the intake function to completion of the investigative process; and then address issues relating to the performance of its responsibilities. This latter category will include information on the ability to conform to statutory requirements, the effectiveness of current staffing, and any trends relating to the safety of vulnerable adults. Since the complaint investigation function is also a critical component of the federal certification process, information as to the federal requirements and performance evaluations will be included. Expanded information on OHFC s issuance of federal deficiencies related to nursing homes is included in Part 2 of this Report. Part 1: State Fiscal Year Information Background There are over 2,000 licensed health care entities in the state. Licensed health care entities include nursing homes, hospitals, boarding care homes, supervised living facilities, home care agencies, hospice programs, hospice residences, and free standing outpatient surgical facilities. The licensure laws contained in Minnesota Statutes Chapters 144 and 144A detail the Department s responsibilities in this area. In addition, MDH is the survey agency for the purpose of certifying a health care facility s participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The purpose of licensing and federally certifying health care facilities is to protect the health, safety, rights and well being of those receiving services by requiring providers of services to meet minimum standards of care and physical environment. The licensure laws at the state level and the federal certification requirements provide for the development of regulations that establish those minimum standards. MDH rules, the Vulnerable Adults Act (VAA), the Patients Bill of Rights, and federal Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
5 Medicare and Medicaid certification regulations are the primary legal foundation for patient/resident protection efforts. In addition to the development of the regulations, the licensure and certification laws also provide the structure for monitoring performance in two ways: the survey process and a distinct mechanism to respond to complaints about the quality of the care and services provided. This report will focus on the complaint investigation process. The Office of Health Facility Complaints is a program within the Minnesota Department of Health s Division of Compliance Monitoring. OHFC is responsible for investigating complaints and facility reported incidents of maltreatment in licensed health care entities in Minnesota. 1 State and federal laws authorize anyone to file a complaint about licensed health care facilities with OHFC. State law also mandates that allegations of maltreatment against a vulnerable adult or a minor be reported by the licensed health care entity. Maltreatment is defined in Minnesota Statutes (Vulnerable Adults Act) as cases of suspected abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, unexplained injuries, and errors as defined in Minnesota Statutes , subd. 17(c)(5). 2 OHFC Responsibilities OHFC is responsible for the receipt of all complaints and facility reported incidents; for gathering information that will assist in the appropriate review of this information; for evaluation and triage of this information and for selecting the level of investigative response. In addition, OHFC is required to notify complainants and reporters as to the outcome of the review and any subsequent investigation. These specific functions will be addressed later in the report. A Director and an Assistant Director manage OHFC. There are 15 investigators assigned to the Office; 12 investigators are assigned to the St. Paul office and the remaining 3 are located in the MDH offices in Fergus Fall, Duluth and Rochester. There are 2 individuals responsible for the intake of complaints and facility reported incidents. There are 5 support staff assigned to the Office. In addition to the complaint related activities, OHFC is also responsible for the activities related to the processing of criminal background checks and set asides. Two additional staff are assigned to this activity. 1 Statutory authority for OHFC is found in Minnesota Statutes 144A.51 to 144A.54. In addition to the requirements of state law, OHFC is also the entity responsible for reviewing and investigating complaints under the federal Medicare and Medicaid certification requirements. OHFC is the lead agency for the purposes of reviewing and investigating facility reported incidents of maltreatment under the provisions of the Vulnerable Adult Abuse Act, Minnesota Statutes and the Reporting of Maltreatment of Minors Act, Minnesota Statutes While OHFC does conduct investigations relating to the maltreatment of minors in MDH licensed facilities, the information presented in this report will be based on complaints and facility reported incidents involving vulnerable adults. OHFC investigates very few cases involving a minor each year. Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
6 TABLE 1 OHFC BUDGET AND STAFFING HISTORY Fed Fiscal Year Investigators Supervisor Managers Intake Staff Admin. Staff Total Staff OHFC Funding FFY FFY FFY Total Oper. Budget: $2,418,480 Medicare 38.60% Medicaid 29.20% State Licensure 32.30% Total Oper. Budget: $2,266,286 Medicare % Medicaid % State Licensure 32.30% Total Oper. Budget: $1,910,796 Medicare 37.30% Medicaid 28.90% State Licensure % OHFC Funding sources are Medicare, Medicaid, and State Licensure Fees How OHFC Receives Information Concerns about issues or situations in licensed health care entities come to OHFC in one of two ways: a complaint or a facility reported incident. A complaint is an allegation relating to maltreatment or any other possible violation of state or federal law that is made by an individual who is not a designated reporter. A facility reported incident is received from a designated reporter in a facility and describes a suspected or alleged incident of maltreatment as defined in the Vulnerable Adults Act. Table 2, below, includes the numbers of complaints and facility reported incidents received during the past three state fiscal years by facility type. Table 2: Complaints & Facility Reported Incidents by Facility Type FY04, FY05, FY06 Complaints Received FY04 FY05 FY06 Nursing Home Hospital Home Health Other Licensed Entities * Total Complaints Received Facility Reported Incidents FY04 FY05 FY06 Nursing Home Hospital Home Health Other Licensed Entities ** Total Facility Reported Incidents Received *** Grand Total Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
7 As shown in Table 2, OHFC yearly receives several thousand complaints and facility reported incidents. It is important to note that OHFC reviews every complaint and facility reported incident. State and federal law require that these complaints and facility reported incidents be reviewed to make a determination as to what investigative process will be employed to resolve the allegation. Types of Maltreatment Allegations and Other Concerns Received by OHFC Each complaint or facility reported incident might contain more than one allegation, each of which must be reviewed for investigative purposes. For example, an allegation that a resident was neglected might state the nature of the specific concern but also indicate that inadequate staffing was also a concern. Complaints and facility reported incidents are coded to identify various categories of maltreatment and other violations of state and federal law. Table 3 illustrates the recording of all allegations for nursing homes for state FY04, FY05 and FY06; the maltreatment allegations and concerns identified by complainants and the maltreatment allegations and concerns contained in facility reported incidents. Tables 4, 5 and 6 on the following pages summarize all allegations for the other licensed health care entities. Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
8 Table 3: Nursing Home Allegations from Complaints and Facility Reported Incidents FY04, FY05, FY06 FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Abuse Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Emotional Abuse Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Exploitation Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Exploitation by staff Exploitation by other FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Neglect Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI General Health Care Falls Medications Decubiti Dehydration Nutrition Neglect, Failure to notify MD Neglect of Supervision FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegation : Unexplained Injury Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : General Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Patient Rights Nursing, Infection Control, Medications Other Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
9 Table 4: Hospital Allegations from Complaints / Facility Reported Incidents FY04, FY05, FY06 FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Abuse Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Emotional Abuse Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Accident FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Exploitation Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Exploitation by staff Exploitation by other FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Neglect Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI General Health Care Falls Medications Decubiti Dehydration Nutrition Neglect, Failure to notify MD Neglect of Supervision FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegation : Unexplained Injury Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : General Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Patient Rights Nursing, Infection Control, Medications ER Services Discharge Planning EMTALA Other Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
10 Table 5: Home Health Care Allegations from Complaints / Facility Reported Incidents FY04, FY05, FY06 FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Abuse Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Emotional Abuse Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Accident FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Exploitation Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Exploitation by staff Exploitation by other FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Neglect Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI General Health Care Falls Medications Decubiti Dehydration Nutrition Neglect, Failure to notify MD Neglect of Supervision FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegation : Unexplained Injury Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : General Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Patient Rights Nursing, Infection Control, Medications, Shortage Staff Other Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
11 Table 6 : Other Licensed Entities Allegations from Complaints / Facility Reported Incidents FY04, FY05, FY06 FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Abuse Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Emotional Abuse Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Accident FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Exploitation Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Exploitation by staff Exploitation by other FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : Neglect Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI General Health Care Falls Medications Decubiti Dehydration Nutrition Neglect, Failure to notify MD Neglect of Supervision FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegation : Unexplained Injury Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI FY 2004 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2006 Allegations : General Comp FRI Comp FRI Comp FRI Patient Rights Nursing, Infection Control, Medications, Shortage Staff Other Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
12 How OHFC Reviews Information the Intake and Triage Processes As described below, the OHFC review process consists of an intake process and triage process. The need to set priorities or to triage the allegations is specifically recognized in both state and federal law. The VAA requires that each lead agency shall develop guidelines for prioritizing reports for investigation. Minn. Stat , subd. 9b. In addition, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also requires that the state survey agencies develop triage criteria to govern the review of complaints and facility reported incidents. CMS also specifies time frames for the initiation and completion of certain types of investigations. 3 Intake Process Intake staff review each complaint or facility reported incident as it is received. Intake staff are trained to follow specific protocols and policies in assessing which investigative option the complaint or facility reported incident should be assigned. In many situations, intake staff will request that additional information be provided for review. For example, intake staff will often request that a facility submit medical records and its own investigative reports to be reviewed as the result of a submission of a facility reported incident. Intake staff may also request more information from complainants to assist in the OHFC review process, receiving and placing over 8600 telephone calls a year related to complaint and facility reported incident activity In situations when it is apparent that a complaint does not allege a violation of state or federal law, intake staff will assist in identifying appropriate referrals to other agencies, such as the Office of the Ombudsman for Older Minnesotans or to a licensure board. There are multiple ways to address concerns about the care and services provided in our health care facilities. OHFC encourages residents, patients and families to raise concerns directly with the facility. Facility staff are more available and accessible, which hopefully will lead to a prompt resolution of the complaint or concern. Working with a family or resident council in a nursing home or other residential facility can provide a forum for raising issues and requesting that action be taken to address the concerns. Minnesota also has a strong and effective ombudsman program that can work with residents, family members and others to advocate for changes within a facility outside of the regulatory process. 3 Chapter 5 of the State Operations Manual outlines the state survey agency responsibilities for the complaint review and investigation process. The State Operations Manual is published by CMS and is required to be used by the survey agencies in implementing the Medicare and Medicaid certification process for nursing homes. Online access to the SOM, publication , is available at the following website: Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
13 The complainant is informed if the allegation has been referred to another agency and that no further action will be taken by MDH. Triage Process Once the intake process is completed, the information will then be reviewed to determine the extent of any further investigative review by OHFC. This information is reviewed on a daily basis. Intake staff will automatically start the process for an onsite investigation if serious allegations, such as sexual or physical abuse, are identified or allegations of potential immediate jeopardy concerns are noted. OHFC has adopted a policy and procedure that outlines the factors that are considered to triage the complaints and facility reported incidents. This process will determine the extent of its investigative review. The policy and procedure is attached as Appendix A. OHFC also places a priority on those situations when action needs to be taken to determine whether an alleged perpetrator may be subject to disqualification or a referral to the Nursing Assistant Registry with a finding of abuse or neglect. A number of investigative options are possible, ranging from taking no further action to the initiation of an onsite investigation. Intermediate steps are also considered, such as requesting additional information from a provider if not already requested by Intake staff; requiring facilities to review complaint allegations and submit documentation for a desk investigation; making referrals to other entities such as the Office of the Ombudsman for Older Minnesotans or the appropriate licensure boards; or providing information to the Licensing and Certification program to review at the next scheduled survey of the facility as an area of concern. The results of the triage process for state FY04, FY05 and FY06 are shown in Table 7. The following investigative options are possible: No further review or investigation will occur. This would happen when there is no alleged violation of rules or regulations, when sufficient information is not available or when requested medical and other records have been reviewed and no possible violations were identified. In addition, a review of information submitted by the facility may indicate that appropriate corrective action had been taken. The complainant or reporting entity is notified that OHFC has reviewed the information and no further investigative action will be taken. The complainant or the reporting entity is told to contact OHFC if there are questions regarding this decision. The complaint could be handled as a desk investigation. In this situation, OHFC will contact the facility, indicate that a complaint has been filed, and require the facility to submit to OHFC information relating to the allegation and the steps taken to address those concerns. This information is reviewed and, if no further action is required, the complainant is notified that the OHFC has reviewed the complaint; if the facility s information is accepted, no determination as to whether the complaint is substantiated will be made. Generally, the desk investigation is used in situations when concerns about resident care have been raised, but a review of the records and information provided from the facility would be considered reliable and credible and an onsite investigation would not add to the investigative review. For example, if concerns were raised about the appropriateness of a medication regimen or the failure to obtain medical or other treatments, a review of the records may provide sufficient Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
14 information. Dirty rooms, cold food and medication errors not resulting in harm are also common allegations. The complaint is referred to the Licensing and Certification Program as an area of concern. The allegation is shared with licensing and certification staff and will be reviewed during the next survey process. These areas of concern are usually of a general nature not involving an allegation of abuse or neglect. Examples of such complaints include neglect issues that do not result in actual harm or that are not recurring; verbal or mental abuse that does not result in a resident feeling frightened or threatened; patient rights issues; physical plant complaints that do not pose immediate threat to the safety of patient/residents; and dietary and housekeeping complaints that do not impact care. The complaint or facility reported incident could be assigned for an onsite investigation. Complaints and facility reported incidents that are determined to require this level of investigation are typically the most egregious and serious in nature. Examples would include situations when a potential immediate jeopardy concern has been identified; or when serious neglect concerns are raised such as situations causing fractures, pressure ulcers, or significant weight loss. Other examples will be addressed in the section describing the time frames for the initiation of the investigation. When a complaint is assigned for an onsite investigation, a letter is sent to the complainant notifying that this is the investigative procedure that will be used and a case number and the name of the investigator assigned is in the letter. When the onsite investigation is completed, a copy of the final report is provided to the complainant. Table 7: Complaints and Facility Report Incidents Assigned for Further Review FY04, FY05, FY06 FY04 FY05 FY06 Onsite Desk Refer to Survey Onsite Investigations After it has been determined that an onsite investigation of a complaint or facility reported incident is required, further prioritization is completed to assure a timely response based on the nature of the allegation. For example, an onsite investigation of a complaint or facility reported incident that alleges immediate jeopardy must be initiated within two working days of receipt of the allegation. Immediate jeopardy includes those situations which are, or have the potential to be, life threatening or resulting in serious injury. Complaints, which allege a violation of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), often referred to as patient dumping, must be investigated within a two-day period. Complaints and facility reported incidents that allege a higher level of actual harm will be investigated onsite within 10 working days of receipt of the complaint, and consist of situations that result in Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
15 serious adverse consequences to patient/resident health and safety but do not constitute an immediate crisis and delaying an onsite investigation would not increase the risk of harm or injury. This would include situations when neglect has led to pressure sores or significant weight loss, when physical abuse has been alleged, unexplained or unexpected death which may have been the result of neglect or abuse; physical abuse of residents; mental or emotional abuse which threatens or intimidates residents; or failure to obtain medical intervention. Complaints and reports assessed as not having a higher level of actual harm, but having the potential to do so, are assigned for onsite investigation within 45 days. These types of complaints and facility reported incidents include resident care issues, inadequate staffing which has a negative impact on resident health and safety, and patient rights issues. Resolution of Onsite Investigative Reviews Conducted in State FY04, FY05, FY06 All onsite investigations are governed by the requirements defined in state laws and the federal laws and regulations governing the Medicare and Medicaid certifications programs. OHFC is responsible for forwarding all investigative reports to the facility and complainant when an investigation is completed. The VAA requires that investigations be completed within 60 days. If this is not possible, OHFC is required to provide an estimate as to when the investigation will be completed. When an onsite investigation is completed, the findings are either substantiated, unsubstantiated or inconclusive. A substantiated finding means a preponderance of the evidence shows that the allegation occurred. An unsubstantiated finding means a preponderance of the evidence shows that the allegation did not occur. A finding of inconclusive means that there is less than a preponderance of evidence to show that the allegation did or did not occur. Of the 442 onsite investigations assigned in SFY06, 314 were completed in SFY06. Table 8 conveys all onsite investigations COMPLETED in the state fiscal year, including any onsite investigations that were not completed in the previous state fiscal year. In SFY05 there were 103 onsite investigations that carried over to SFY06, were completed in SFY06 and are reflected in the total of 417. There were 128 onsite investigations that were not completed in SFY06, but were completed by the end of calendar year This 128 will be reflected in SFY07 data. Table 8: Results of Completed Onsite Investigations FY04, FY05, FY06 FY04 FY05 FY06 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Substantiated Inconclusive Un-substantiated Total All VAA investigative reports are referred to the Medicaid Fraud Division of the Attorney General s Office and the long-term care ombudsman receives copies of all public reports. If maltreatment is Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
16 substantiated, a copy of the report is provided to the MN Department of Human Services, MDH Licensing and Certification, the city and/or county attorney, the local police department, and any affected licensing board. Public reports of all onsite investigations for the past two years are available on MDH s website: If OHFC makes a finding of maltreatment involving a nursing assistant working in a nursing home, those findings are reported to the Nursing Assistant Registry (NAR). The NAR is responsible for notifying the nursing assistant and informing the nursing assistant of the appeal rights. Once a finding is entered on the Registry, the individual is permanently prohibited from working in a nursing home. These individuals are also referred to the Minnesota Department of Human Services for disqualification, as are other individuals who have maltreated an individual, for whom disqualification is required. Number of employees with substantiated maltreatment findings: FY04 FY05 FY Number of hearings requested: FY04 FY05 FY Number of people referred to the Nursing Assistant Registry with substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or exploitation: FY04 FY05 FY Evaluation of the OHFC Complaint Process Case Backlog and Conformance to Statutory Time Frames One of the areas required to be addressed in this report is whether or not there is a backlog of cases and whether or not OHFC investigative activities conform to statutory time lines. Under the provisions of the VAA, OHFC as the lead agency has a number of specific time frames to meet. These include providing information on the initial disposition 4 of a report within 5 business days from receipt; completing the final disposition within 60 days of its receipt; providing a copy of the investigative report within 10 days of the final disposition to parties identified in the VAA and responding to requests for reconsideration within 15 days of the request. The most significant time frame relates to the completion of the final disposition within 60 days. As defined in the VAA, the final disposition is the determination as to whether or not the maltreatment 4 As defined in the VAA, the initial disposition is the lead agency s determination as to whether the report will be assigned for further investigation. Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
17 report will be substantiated, inconclusive, etc. Conformance to this time frame will be discussed later in this section. While no other specific time frames are contained in state law, the time frames imposed on OHFC under the federal certification program are significant. Each year, CMS conducts performance reviews of each state survey agency. One of the performance standards relates to the conduct and reporting of complaint investigations. The standards focus on the following areas: whether the state agency follows appropriate guidelines for the prioritization of complaints; are various types of complaints - such as those alleging immediate jeopardy, a violation of EMTALA, or nursing home complaints alleging higher levels of actual harm - initiated and/or completed within designated time lines; is the appropriate data entered into the federal system on a timely basis. The federal thresholds for being in conformance with these elements are high, 90% or higher. CMS review for FFY 06 did not identify any significant concerns with OHFC s triage process, how investigative priorities are set, and the general timeliness of our activities with respect to initiating investigations. The federal review indicates that the policies and procedures used by OHFC are appropriate to identify the cases that require more intensive levels of investigation. While OHFC has generally met the time frames for the initiation of onsite investigative reviews, completion of the investigative reports does not meet the 60 day time limit in the VAA. The average completion days for reports, which would include VAA mandated reports, has been approximately 107 days each of the past 3 state fiscal years. To a large extent, delays in completion of reports are attributed to ongoing case assignment to the investigators and the need to meet the federally mandated time lines for the start of the federal process. For FY 04, 64% of the onsite investigations needed to be initiated within 10 days or less. This percentage was 59% in FY 05 and was 66.6% in FY 06. In order to meet the federal performance standards, pressure is placed on the investigators to initiate an increasing number of investigations. This delays the ability to complete already assigned investigations. While this delay is a concern, steps have been taken to speed up the process in situations when the investigation has resulted in a substantiated finding, when correction orders or federal deficiencies will be issued, or when findings leading to the potential disqualification of an individual will be made. In these situations, actions are required by the facility to take steps to come into compliance with state or federal regulations, the process for disqualification of an individual needs to commence, or referrals of substantiated findings to law enforcement personnel or to appropriate licensure boards needs to be made. Adequacy of Staffing As noted previously, OHFC is beyond the final disposition time frame of 60 days mandated by the VAA. To a certain extent, additional staffing resources would assist to reduce the time frame by reducing the number of new assignments given to the current complement of investigators. However, the need for new staff and the attendant costs need to be weighed against the potential benefits to be achieved and how this would improve the safety of patients and residents. The federal budget Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
18 authorized OHFC to hire an additional supervisor in FFY06. This hire was completed near the end of FFY06. The filled complement of investigators for calendar year 2006 averaged 13. A more important variable relating to the adequacy of staffing is determining whether more investigative reviews, especially onsite investigations, will improve the safety of vulnerable adults. Several factors need to be taken into consideration, including the time for completion of onsite investigations and the types of issues that may not get reviewed as part of the complaint process. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the average number of hours for the completion of onsite investigations, whether or not the investigation is subsequently substantiated. The average hours for completing an investigation are as follows: FY04 FY05 FY06 Complaint substantiated 39.1 hrs 45.0 hrs 51.6 hrs Complaint unsubstantiated 23.8 hrs 29.2 hrs 30.0 hrs Inconclusive 25.2 hrs 32.6 hrs 37.7 hrs There needs to be further analysis of these numbers to determine whether or not the hours could be reduced. OHFC is devoting more time to serious allegations which will be more complicated to review. As discussed above, the appropriate triage and priority assignment for complaints is a major emphasis of CMS. OHFC is seeing a slight increase in the number of investigations that need to be assigned in less than 10 days. This means that cases involving higher levels of harm are increasing and it is reasonable to assume that these cases will be more clinically complicated. As hours for completion increase, this will reduce annual caseload for the investigators. The current triage and priority setting process used by OHFC has been reviewed and accepted by CMS. MDH federal performance reviews indicate that CMS has accepted OHFC s performance as it relates to review and priority setting and time frames for complaint initiation. This means that the most serious investigations are getting the appropriate level of investigative review by OHFC. It is increasingly difficult to find qualified replacements for investigators leaving their employment with OHFC. The time devoted to hiring and training has an impact on workload performance. In the next year we will be reviewing workflow and other components of the process to find ways to improve compliance with timelines. Part 2: The Authority and Responsibility of the Office of Health Facility Complaints Regarding Federally Certified Nursing Homes The Office of Health Facility Complaints (OHFC) is responsible for the review of complaints and facility reported incidents from all licensed and federally certified health care facilities in the state. While not specifically required to be included in this report under the reporting provisions outlined in Minnesota Statutes , subdivision 12b, clause (e), the Department believes that it is appropriate to provide information relating to the activity and performance of OHFC under the federal certification requirements; this provides a more complete picture of the work of the program. Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
19 OHFC is a distinct program within the Department s Compliance Monitoring Division. OHFC has statewide jurisdiction and is responsible for complaint and facility reported incident investigations in all licensed and certified health care facilities in the state. These facilities include hospitals, nursing homes, boarding care homes, supervised living facilities (SLF) and home health care providers, including assisted living home care providers. Specific responsibilities mandated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which is the federal agency responsible for the certification of these facilities, include the investigation of alleged violations of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) by hospitals; conducting complaint investigations authorized by the CMS Regional Office in accredited hospitals; investigating complaints against certified health care facilities or providers; and investigating facility reported incidents submitted by certified facilities under federal law. 5 During Federal Fiscal Year (FFY06) OHFC conducted 473 on-site investigations, of which 346 were in nursing homes. Part 2 of this report addresses the activities and responsibilities of OHFC as they relate only to certified nursing homes. While some OHFC staff are located outside of the Department s St. Paul location, the Office does not assign investigators to precise geographical districts such as those created by the Division s Licensing and Certification Program. All investigative findings are reviewed in the St. Paul office. Final reports, correction orders and federal deficiencies are issued from that office. The data provided in this report and in past reports are compiled on a statewide basis. Unlike the Licensing and Certification Program, the classification of data by geographic districts is not a relevant factor in reviewing OHFC operations. Legal Authority The authority for the OHFC to conduct investigations in nursing homes is found in Minnesota Statutes 144A ; in Minnesota Statutes and in federal statutes and regulations 9. As the state survey agency for federal certification purposes, the Minnesota Department of Health is responsible for performing the complaint related functions described in federal law. These functions have been assigned to the Compliance Monitoring Division and OHFC is the designated entity within the Division responsible for these activities. 5 Certified nursing homes and Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded are required under federal regulations to report to the appropriate state authority allegations of mistreatment, neglect and abuse. See 42 CFR (c) and 42 CFR (d). 6 FFY 06 runs from October 1, 2005 to September 30, Minn. Stat. 144A establishes the Office of Health Facility Complaints and outlines its responsibilities to investigate complaints against health care facilities and providers. 8 Minnesota Statutes , also known as the Vulnerable Adult Abuse Reporting Act, provides the authority and responsibility of a "lead agency, in this case, OHFC, to review and investigate allegations of maltreatment, i.e. abuse, neglect and financial exploitation reported by health care facilities. 9 Sections 1819 (g)(4) and 1919(g)(4) of the Social Security Act require that the State survey agency maintain procedures and staff to investigate complaints of violations by nursing homes; 42 CFR is the regulatory provision addressing state agency responsibilities for nursing home complaint investigations; and 42 CFR requires that the state survey agency investigate all allegations that an individual in a nursing home might have abused or neglected a resident or misappropriated the residents property. This section requires that substantiated findings of abuse and neglect be reported to the state s Nursing Assistant Registry or to the appropriate licensure boards. Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
20 OHFC is required to follow the provisions of federal law as well as the provisions contained in the State Operations Manual (SOM), which is published by CMS. The SOM details the duties and responsibilities of the state survey agency and is the document that includes the various interpretive guidelines for certified facilities. Chapter 5 of the SOM details the specific requirements that are to be followed while conducting complaint investigations. In addition to the specific laws requiring the establishment of a complaint office, state and federal law outlines the authorities for issuing correction orders, federal certification deficiencies and imposing fines or other remedies for facility noncompliance. 10 Under these provisions, OHFC has the authority to make findings, issue deficiencies and state licensing correction orders, issue state penalty assessments; and recommend to the CMS Regional Office the imposition of remedies against certified facilities. OHFC also makes determinations of maltreatment against facilities and individuals under the state VAA law and under the provisions of federal regulations. Facility and individual requests for reconsideration or requests for administrative hearings on those findings are processed by OHFC. OHFC staff are also responsible for the review of set-aside requests for individuals that have been disqualified under the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 245C. OHFC staff are involved in any hearings or judicial challenges related to those decisions. Combination of State and Federal Provisions Federal and state provisions authorizing investigations and detailing the requirements to be followed by health care facilities do not create significant conflict with each other. For that reason, OHFC combines its federal and state authorities and responsibilities when conducting investigations in nursing homes. Reasons that support and justify this combined approach include the following: 1. The state licensure and federal certification regulations applicable to nursing homes are generally consistent. Thus, a finding of noncompliance under the federal certification program often supports a finding of noncompliance under state law. Appendix I of the Department s Annual Quality Improvement Report on the Nursing Home Survey Process, dated December 15, 2005 provides greater detail on the relationship between the state and federal regulations. A copy of this report can be found at the following web site: 2. Both the state VAA law and the federal regulations impose similar obligations on nursing homes relating to the internal investigation of abuse or neglect allegations. The federal provisions require that the nursing home report allegations consistent with state law, therefore, the submission of a report required by the VAA law meets this federal obligation. 3. The provisions of the VAA requiring that the lead agency make determinations as to the culpability of individuals for abuse or neglect and the federal requirements addressing abuse and neglect findings against nursing assistants and other individuals working in certified nursing homes are also consistent. 10 Minnesota Statutes 144A.10 specifies the authority to issue correction orders and penalty assessments to nursing homes. Federal authority for the issuance of remedies can be found in 42 CFR Part 488. Chapter 7 of the SOM also addresses the specific duties of the state survey agency relating to nursing home enforcement. Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
21 Specific Components of the Investigative Process for Nursing Homes Intake and Triage The intake and triage process used by OHFC to review complaints and facility reported incidents is explained in Part 1 of this report. Federal policy specifically assigns time lines to specific types of complaints. See 5020 to 5030H in Chapter 5 of the SOM. There are no corresponding state timelines for the initiation of an onsite complaint investigation. 11 The OHFC triage policy incorporates the more precise federal requirements for determining the type of allegations and the timeline for the initiation of a complaint investigation. It is these provisions that mandate that investigations of allegations of immediate jeopardy are to be investigated within 2 days and that investigations of allegations of high actual harm are to be investigated within 10 days. 91% of the total number of onsite nursing home investigations (315 of the 346) conducted by OHFC fall within those two categories. Table 9 identifies the number of investigations that needed to be initiated within 2 days and the number of investigations that needed to be initiated within 10 days. The compliance percentage is also included. Table 9: FFY06 OHFC Onsite Nursing Home Complaint and Facility Reported Incident Investigations Required within 2 or 10 Days Type of complaint or incident Number of onsite investigations Number of onsite investigations within required time Nursing home 346 total 310 of % Nursing home required within 10 days % Nursing home required within 2 days % Percent within required time 11 In accordance with Minn. Stat. 626,557, subd. 9c, OHFC is required to notify the reporter that the report has been received and provide information on the initial disposition of the report within 5 business days of the receipt of the report. As defined in section , subd. 12, the initial disposition is the lead agency s determination as to whether the report will be assigned for further investigation. The VAA requires that the lead agency complete its investigation within 60 calendar days of the receipt of the report or provide information as to the reason for the delay and the projected completion date. See section , subd. 9c (d). Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
22 Abbreviated Standard Surveys Chapter 5 of the SOM outlines the protocols to be followed by the state survey agency for complaint investigations. Due to the similarities between the state and federal regulations for nursing homes, these federal protocols are utilized for nursing home investigations under both federal and state law. Complaint investigations in certified nursing homes are referred to as abbreviated standard surveys. This term is defined in 7001 of the SOM as follows: Abbreviated Standard Survey means a survey other than a standard survey that gathers information primarily through resident-centered techniques on facility compliance with the requirements for participation. An abbreviated standard survey may be premised on complaints received; a change in ownership, management, or director of nursing; or other indicators of specific concern. Section 7203 E, of Chapter 7 of the SOM outlines the expectation for an abbreviated standard survey: This survey focuses on particular tasks that relate, for example, to complaints received, or a change of ownership, management, or Director of Nursing. It does not cover all the aspects covered in the standard survey, but rather concentrates on a particular area of concern(s). The survey team (or surveyor) may investigate any area of concern and make a compliance decision regarding any regulatory requirement, whether or not it is related to the original purpose of the survey complaint. Sections 5400 to 5450 of the SOM contain specific requirements and outline specific tasks to be completed during the abbreviated standard survey. These tasks include the following: Section Offsite Survey Preparation: This includes the review of the allegation as well as other information that may have been received during the intake/triage process. It is during this process that other information regarding the facility such as prior survey and complaint history and discussions with the ombudsman about similar complaints would occur. Section Entrance Conference/Onsite Preparatory Activities: On site investigations must be unannounced and at the time of the entrance, the general purpose of the visit will be provided. The investigator needs to assure that the confidentiality of individuals identified as part of the complaint, such as the reporter or specific residents, be protected. Section Information Gathering: In addition to determining whether the complaint is substantiated, the OHFC investigative process is also required to determine the degree of facility compliance with the regulations and to determine if other residents, not specifically identified in the allegation, are at risk. Since Section 5430 addresses this process it is provided in its entirety. The order and manner in which information is gathered will depend on the type of complaint that is being investigated. Conduct comprehensive, focused, and/or Complaint Investigations of Minnesota Health Care Facilities, March
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Division of Health Quality Assurance Health Care Facility/ Provider Regulation September 2014 Program Topics Licensing Public Information and Transparency