The Numbers Game: Facility Approved Dr’s Have Captive Audience

How many Dr’s does your loved one’s facility have listed as “approved” to practice inside their location?  

What's the population, the average occupancy and usage of this number of doctors per month and per year?

Facilities must retain records; should know which Dr sees what patient. If using the computer at minimal functioning ability this information should be easy to access.

How many Dr’s are currently accepting “new” patients in case your loved one decides they or their representative are not satisfied with the medical care being provided?

We wanted to change. We couldn't get a “current” list; the Director of the Facility didn't have one and neither did the Nurse Administrator, the only RN required by the State of Missouri. 

It took three weeks. Why? Good question. First we were given a “couple” of names: one no longer worked for the facility and one was not taking new patients. Next “offering” produced two names not accepting new patients. Finally received ONE NAME possible; new Dr accepted by facility.

Do you have the full information on the Doctor who attends you as resident/the person you’re responsible for in a Long Term Care Facility?

Is this information available in the room of the resident posted on the back of the bathroom door or some other “safe” but visible place for those needing to know? At the Nurse’s Station or on the computer?

And, above all, have you checked to make sure your resident’s records are current? When we once checked ours, the facility had “failed” to update and still listed the old Dr on Mom’s personal record.

Yes, it is important to “follow behind” and ask for an updated printout of the main sheet of your loved one’s general file, the one they send with the resident when they leave for an outside Dr apt or ER or other medical appointment/transfer.

Do you have a complete list of all Dr’s currently accepting new patients at your/your loved one’s facility?

A list dated and including name, type of Dr (MD or DO), specialization(s), office(s) location, name of practice, office telephone number, exchange number, emergency number.

You should not be dependent on a facility to provide this information or make it available to you or your representative when you can “meet with” or “get through to” the person or persons with the “authority” to distribute this information. This was the case in Mom’s facility. And it changed. We never knew who did what, who was responsible for what and who to ask for what. 

Another entry; another time. Understanding the “politics” and “titles” at Long Term Care/Nursing Faciliites.

Critically Important Take Aways from this blog entry:

You are giving up rights currently held by individuals outside of Senior Long Term Care/Nursing Facilities TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN DOCTOR when you do not have this information. You should not have to ask for this information; it should be readily available to all residents and their representatives. See below re computer accessibility.

This is, in my belief, against the rights of people with disabilities to treat them differently from others, to NOT provide the ways and means for those who cannot be transferred or for personal/medical reasons are incapable of being transferred, to a Doctor outside of a Long Term Care/Nursing Facility -- current and accurate contact information on an individual basis, placed directly in the hands and at the immediate reference of residents and their representatives for all medical personnel, Dr’s, approved to practice at a facility.

SOAPBOX TIME:  Let’s have it put online! The list of Doctors affiliated with each LTC/Nursing Home facilitiy.

TRANSPARENCY. SUNSHINE LAW. AVAILABLE TO ALL CONSIDERING A FACILITY.

Shouldn’t you have the ability to check out the Dr’s practicing at a facility as easily as you can check out a Dr “on the outside” through the many on site resources to see their medical records, malpractice suits, etc. etc.?

You and your loved one are making a substantial financial and time commitment. You’re entrusting your LIFE to their medical personnel, their Dr’s. Even if you have an outside Dr, you may still “employ” the facility Dr.

AND THAT’S THE KEY, dear blog readers, YOU ARE THE CONSUMER. You have rights!

CONCERNS YOU SHOULD BE VOICING TO YOUR DHSS AND LEGISLATORS:

• Long Term Care/Nursing Facilities have taken away the Dr/Patient relationship by coming between the two and relaying all requests and concerns without including the patient or the patient’s legal representative directly with the Doctor.

• Most facilities do not have scheduled days/dates/times for Dr’s to visit. They come when they want to. The facility isn’t on a system of “rounds” and they are not truly “on call”.

• Representatives of residents appointed or with Durable Power of Atty for Healthcare should have the ability to find out when the Dr will be visiting the resident. There should be appointments for the DHSS mandated visit interims (if there is such a thing; must check).

• Residents and their representatives deserve medical updates especially test results provided directly to them following receipt of results. If a second test is usual, this step should not be excluded and all responsible parties should be advised of this procedure when the first test is done and the results when the second test is completed and results received by the facility.

BTW, if your resident misses a Dr’s “visit” to the facility, they wait until the Dr “comes again”. How can this happen? If the resident isn’t “on the floor” the Dr may not include them in their “rounds”. They have no responsibility to ensure the resident is located to ensure they are seen “this time”. Unfortunately, this is now some diagnosis are not made, some minor problems become major issues.

My second son thought that a Dr on call at his Grandmother’s facility meant if she or a resident became very sick that Dr on call would make a personal visit to the facility. NO, meant he/she could be reached by telephone for consultation by the facility.

WE ARE IN THE COMPUTER AGE.

• Facilities have websites if they’re any type of business wanting to stay in business.
• There should be resident/representative specific information available on Permission Level pages