The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), on last week’s statewide regulatory call, reviewed top deficiency trends for nursing homes and focus areas to be targeted during CMS oversite surveys. MDH highlighted the increase in deficiencies on both complaint and survey being cited at Immediate Jeopardy level (I/J) in 2019. 

From Jan. 1, 2019 – Feb. 20, 2019, 14 I/Js were cited. A majority were the result of complaint investigations. Some of the areas identified that resulted in I/Js in 2019 are:

Free of Abuse and Neglect:

• Suspicious bruising in groin, breast and neck area not identified, reported or investigated
• Rough handling by staff
• Inappropriate physical touch and yelling at resident

Free of Accident Hazards/Supervision/Devices (also #1 deficiency cited at I/J on standard and complaint survey and #1 deficiency cited at G on complaints, #2 deficiency cited at G on standard surveys in 2018)

• Transfer with a mechanical lift – straps not properly connected to sling and sling too large
• Failure to supervise residents at risk for falls, repeated self-transfers resulting in falls with multiple fractures
• Smoking while using oxygen

Treatment/Services to Prevent/Heal Pressure Ulcers (also #1 deficiency cited at G on standard surveys in 2018)

• Did not provide treatment for prevention of stage 3-4 pressure ulcers

Quality of Care

• Did not notify the physician for a resident with bloody stools and on Coumadin resulting in hospitalization and transfusion

MDH also summarized the top 2018 tags related to surveys, complaints, and E tags.  A complete breakdown of deficiencies with a scope of D, G and J are posted on the MDH website.  Here is a sampling of that data.