<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="19-1410" future_version_removed="true" title_number="19" title_name="Health Care Facilities" subtitle_number="14" subtitle_name="Nursing Homes">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Each nursing home shall develop and implement a quality assurance program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Each nursing home shall designate a qualified individual to coordinate and manage the nursing home’s quality assurance program.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Each nursing home shall establish a quality assurance committee and shall include at least the following members:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The nursing home administrator;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The director of nursing;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The medical director;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>A social worker;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>A licensed dietitian; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>A geriatric nursing assistant.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The quality assurance committee shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Meet at least monthly;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Maintain records of all quality assurance activities;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Keep records of committee meetings that shall be available to the Department during any on–site visit; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Prepare monthly reports that shall be presented to the ombudsman, the resident’s council, and the family council.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The quality assurance committee for a nursing home shall review and approve annually the quality assurance plan for the nursing home.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Each nursing home shall establish a written quality assurance plan that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Includes procedures for concurrent review for all residents;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Provides criteria that routinely monitors nursing care including medication administration, prevention of decubitus ulcers, dehydration and malnutrition, nutritional status and weight loss or gain, accidents and injuries, unexpected deaths, changes in mental or psychological status, and any other data necessary to monitor quality of care;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Includes methods to identify and correct problems; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Is readily available to nursing home residents and their families, guardians, or surrogate decision makers.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The quality assurance plan shall be submitted to the Department every 2 years.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>The nursing home administrator shall take appropriate remedial actions based on the recommendations of the nursing home’s quality assurance committee.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>The Secretary may not require the quality assurance committee to disclose the records and the reports prepared by the committee except as necessary to assure compliance with the requirements of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>If the Department determines that a nursing home is not implementing its quality assurance program effectively and that quality assurance activities are inadequate, the Department may impose appropriate sanctions on the nursing home to improve quality assurance including mandated employment of specified quality assurance personnel.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Each nursing home shall display on each floor of the nursing home a notice that explains the current ratio of licensed personnel to residents and unlicensed personnel to residents.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The notice shall be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Posted in a location that is visible and accessible to residents and their family or guardians and any potential consumers; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>On a form provided by the Department.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
