I need your help to motivate change in the Ohio Revised Code (Rule 3701-17-12).  This section of the code requires that nursing home administrators “notify the resident's sponsor or authorized representative, with the resident's permission, and other proper authority, in accordance with state and local laws and regulations when there is:

(1) An accident involving the resident which results in injury and has the potential for requiring physician intervention;

(2) A significant change in the resident's physical, mental, or psycho-social status such as a deterioration in health, mental, or psycho-social status in either life-threatening conditions or clinical complications;

(3) A need to alter treatment significantly such as a need to discontinue an existing form of treatment due to adverse consequences, or to commence a new form of treatment.

While this is a good start, these required notifications need to be expanded.

I recently learned, by accident, that my mother’s facility is terminated their contract with her current provider team that specializes in Healthcare Coordination and Psychiatry.  This may well be the most volatile area of service that individuals in long term care settings content with.  Senility, dementia, and other mental health afflictions cause profound fear and trust issues and all who suffer from these conditions walk a delicate line.  Their providers become family, or sorts, and changing this relationship can potentially have serious repercussions for certain patients.

This is why I will be advocating for the ORC rule to be expanded to:

(1)   Require sixty (60) days advanced written notice to all patients and/or their authorized representatives in the event the facility is seeking to change their Nursing Facilities Services Contract with an existing Healthcare Coordination and Psychiatric provider.

(2)     Permit continued access without terms or restrictions to the existing Healthcare Coordination and Psychiatric provider at the facility upon request of the patient and/or their authorized representatives without:

a.        Pressure patients and/or their authorized representatives to change to the incoming provider

b.        Using such tactics as to suggest that the existing provider can only be accessed in an outpatient setting

c.        Any other such method that would be in any way manipulative or misleading to including but not limited to over marketing, emailing, calling, or forcing the issue in care team meetings

(3)   To codify the relationship between a long-term care patient and her or his Healthcare Coordination and Psychiatric team as a relationship with expressed significance in the law and to sanction against unilateral changes to this relationship by means of contract negotiations on the part of long-term care organizations.

I have no problem with long-term care organizations making business-related decisions, however, this is a unique relationship between a patient and a provider.  Patients should have the ability to access care from the incoming provider, or to choose to remain under the care of their current provider without question.

If you agree, please sign the petition!