Every finding on record at Sterling Healthcare Solutions Incoporated

Purpose of Visit: Recertification Survey Entrance: 6/28/23 Census: Licensed & Certified Home Health: 24 Licensed Home Health: 0 Personal Assistant Services: 0 Abbreviations: HHA: Home Health Aide The agency meets the federal requirements for home health agencies as described in §484.

Purpose of Visit: Recertification Survey Entrance: 6/28/23 Census: Licensed & Certified Home Health: 24 Licensed Home Health: 0 Personal Assistant Services: 0 Abbreviations: HHA: Home Health Aide The agency meets the federal requirements for home health agencies as described in §484.

Visit schedule CFR(s): 484.60(e)(1) Visit schedule, including frequency of visits by HHA personnel and personnel acting on behalf of the HHA. This ELEMENT is not met as evidenced by: Based on interview and record review, the agency failed to provide a written visit schedule to the patient. consistent with the patient's most current plan of care, for 3 of 3 home folders reviewed during a home visit (Client #1, Client #2, and Client #9). This failure resulted in none of the clients reviewed having any written visit schedules, which could result in clients being unaware of upcoming scheduled visits from agency nurses and home health aides. The findings included: Client #1: Review of Plan of Care dated 4/26/23 revealed that skilled nursing visits were scheduled once per week for 9 weeks, and that home health aide visits were scheduled once per week for 8 weeks. During a home visit conducted on 6/29/23 at 10:00 AM, review of home folder for Client #1 revealed that there was no written schedule of visits. Client #2: Review of Plan of Care dated 3/15/23 for Client #2 revealed that skilled nursing visits were scheduled once per week for 8 weeks, and that home health aide visits were scheduled twice per week for 8 weeks. During a home visit conducted on 6/29/23 at 10:30 AM, review of home folder for Client #2 revealed that there was no written schedule of visits. Client #9: Review of Plan of Care dated 3/09/23 for Client #9 revealed that skilled nursing visits were scheduled twice per week for 8 weeks, and that home health aide visits were scheduled twice per week for 8 weeks. During a home visit conducted on 6/29/23 11:00 AM, review of home folder for Client #9 revealed that there was no written schedule of visits. In an interview with Administrator on 7/06/23 at 9:15 AM, Administrator stated, “Oh, the schedules weren’t in their home folders? I’ll fix that.”

12 hours inservice every 12 months CFR(s): 484.80(d) Standard: In-service training. A home health aide must receive at least l2 hours of in-service training during each 12-month period. In-service training may occur while an aide is furnishing care to a patient. This STANDARD is not met as evidenced by: Based on interview and record review, the agency failed to ensure that 4 of 4 home health aides (HHA A, HHA B, HHA C and HHA D) received at least 12 hours of in-service every 12 months for 1 year reviewed (2022). This failure resulted in home health aides receiving less than 12 hours of inservice in 2022, and could result in agency patients receiving substandard care. The findings included: On 3/12/19 the agency hired HHA B. On 10/16/17 the agency hired HHA C. On 3/16/19 the agency hired HHA D. Review of HHA inservices binder indicated that in 2022, HHA A received 6 hours of inservices from the agency. Review of HHA inservices binder indicated that in 2022, HHA B received 5 hours of inservices from the agency. Review of HHA inservices binder indicated that in 2022, HHA C received 7 hours of inservices from the agency. Review of HHA inservices binder indicated that in 2022, HHA D received 6 hours of inservices from the agency. In an interview with Administrator on 7/16/23 at 9:45 AM, Administrator ( who was also the supervising nurse) admitted that the HHAs had not received 12 hours of inservices in 2022, saying, “It is hard to get them to come in every month.” Review of agency policy (dated 07/02/2021) titled "Home Health Aide Qualifications and Training" read in part, "A home health aide must receive at least 12 hours of in-service training during each 12-month period. In-service training may occur while an aide is furnishing care to a patient... The agency must maintain documentation that demonstrates [that] the requirements for 12 hours of in-service training have been met."