Every finding on record at Richmond County Hospice, Inc.

It is required that during the initial assessment visit and in advance of providing care the hospice provides the patient—or his or her representative—with verbal and written notice of the patient’s rights and responsibilities. This standard was not met as evidenced by document review and interview which revealed that the agency Hospice Bill of Rights statement provided to all patients lacked verbiage that the written Patient Bill of Rights included the right to choose his or her attending physician, receive effective pain management and symptom control for conditions related to terminal illness, be free from mistreatment, neglect, or verbal, mental, sexual, or physical abuse, including injuries of unknown source, and the misappropriation of patient property, have person treated with respect by anyone providing services on behalf of the hospice and be informed and receive written information concerning the hospice’s policy on advance directives, including state law and regulation. The Chief Executive Officer stated in interview during a joint review of the agencies sample admission packet on 1/4/22 that the Hospice Bill of Rights statement provided to all patients lacked all required verbiage. She further stated that the agency had updated the admission packet and agency policies to reflect the newer CHAP standards and all required verbiage in the Bill of Rights statement may have been deleted at that time. A review of agency policy # HPFC:2.D titled Patient Bill of Rights Content (revised 2/26/20) included all required elements per the standard.