Healing Hands Hospice Care, Inc.

“It is required that hospice aides must report changes in the patient’s medical, nursing, rehabilitative, and/or social needs to a registered nurse as the changes relate to the plan of care and any quality assessment and improvement activities. The hospice aide must also complete appropriate records of service, including the report of changes in the patient’s needs. Hospice aide documentation complies with hospice policies and procedures. This standard was not met as evidenced by clinical record review and interview. In 1 of 5 (20%) clinical records reviewed with hospice aide services provided, the agency did not ensure the Hospice Aide reported changes related to the plan of care to the Registered Nurse. CLINICAL RECORD 4: The aide care plan dated 01/10/2026 assigned the aide the bathing task of “Shower” every visit. The aide frequency of visits was ordered two (2) times per week. The aide documented on the visit notes dated 01/21/2026 and 01/23/2026 a check mark next to the task “Shower” and in the comments the aide wrote, “Bed bath provided.” The record did not include documentation as to the reason a “Shower” was not completed by the aide and did not include documentation that the Hospice Aide notified the Registered Nurse of the changes in the patient’s medical needs related to the ordered bathing task of “Shower.” The Director of Patient Care Services and the Licensed Vocational Nurse stated in an interview on 04/21/2026, while completing joint clinical record review, that they both agreed the aide did not notify the registered nurse about the changes in the patient’s medical needs as related to not completing the bathing task, “Shower” that was ordered on the aide care plan.”

“It is required that if the care of a hospice patient is transferred to a Medicare/Medicaid certified facility, the hospice forwards to the receiving facility a copy of the hospice discharge summary. This standard was not met as evidenced by clinical record review and interview. In 1 of 2 (50%) clinical records reviewed for patients that revoked the hospice benefit to pursue curative treatment at the hospital, the agency did not ensure the hospice discharge summary was forwarded to the receiving facility/hospital. CLINICAL RECORD 7: The patient and family revoked the hospice benefit on 12/14/2025 to pursue curative treatment at the hospital. There was no documented evidence that the agency forwarded the discharge summary to the receiving facility/hospital. The Director of Patient Care Services and the Licensed Vocation Nurse stated in an interview while performing joint clinical record reviews on 04/21/2026 that they both agreed the clinical records for the patients that revoked the hospice benefit to pursue curative treatment at the hospital was missing evidence that the discharge summary was forwarded to the receiving facility.”

“It is required that if a patient revokes the election of hospice care or is discharged from hospice per hospice regulation no longer terminally ill, the hospice forwards to the patient’s attending physician a copy of the hospice discharge summary and the patient’s record, if requested. This standard was not met as evidenced by clinical record review and interview. In 2 of 3 (67%) clinical records reviewed for patients that revoked the hospice benefit, the agency did not ensure a copy of the hospice discharge summary was forwarded to the patient’s attending physician. CLINICAL RECORD 6: The patient and family revoked the hospice benefit on 02/25/2026 because they felt the patient had stabilized. There was no documented evidence that the agency forwarded the hospice discharge summary to the patient’s attending physician. CLINICAL RECORD 8: The patient and family revoked the hospice benefit on 03/19/2026 to pursue curative treatment. There was no documented evidence that the agency forwarded the hospice discharge summary to the patient’s attending physician. The Director of Patient Care Services and the Licensed Vocational Nurse stated in an interview while performing joint clinical record reviews on 04/21/2026 that they both agreed the clinical records for the patients that revoked the hospice benefit were missing evidence that the hospice discharge summaries were forwarded to the patient’s attending physician.”