PALO ALTO NURSING CENTER CA DEFICIENCY REPORT

	Nursing Home Deficiency Report current as of November 25, 2009
Date	Deficiency	Scope	Level of Harm
02/26/2010	corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/26/2010	walls or barriers that prevent smoke from passing through and would resist fire for at least one hour.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/26/2010	an approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/26/2010	automatic sprinkler systems that have been maintained in working order.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/26/2010	exits that are free from obstructions and can be used at all times.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/26/2010	proper medical gas storage and administration areas.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/26/2010	properly installed electrical wiring and equipment.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/16/2010	Keep safe, clean and homelike surroundings.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/16/2010	Provide needed housekeeping and maintenance.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/16/2010	Make sure that residents are safe from serious medication errors.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/16/2010	Store, cook, and give out food in a safe and clean way.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
02/16/2010	Be designed, built, equipped, or well kept to protect the health and safety of residents, workers, and the public.	Widespread	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2009	portable fire extinguishers.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2009	heating and ventilation systems that have been properly installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2009	properly installed electrical wiring and equipment.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
03/17/2009	Tell each resident who can get Medicaid benefits about 1) which items and services Medicaid covers and which the resident must pay for; or 2) how to apply for Medicaid, along with the names and addresses of State groups that can help.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
03/17/2009	Try to resolve each resident's complaints quickly.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
03/17/2009	1) Hire only people who have no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents; or 2) report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect or mistreatment of residents.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
03/17/2009	Provide social services for related medical problems to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
03/17/2009	Give residents proper treatment to prevent new bed (pressure) sores or heal existing bed sores.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
03/17/2009	Make sure that each resident who enters the nursing home without a catheter is not given a catheter, unless it is necessary.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
03/17/2009	Properly care for residents needing special services, including: injections, colostomy, ureostomy, ileostomy, tracheostomy care, tracheal suctioning, respiratory care, foot care, and prostheses.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
03/17/2009	1) Provide 3 meals daily at regular times; or 2) serve breakfast within 14 hours after dinner; or 3) offer a snack at bedtime each day.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
03/17/2009	Store, cook, and give out food in a safe and clean way.	Widespread	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
03/17/2009	Properly mark drugs and other similar products.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/24/2008	portable fire extinguishers.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/24/2008	properly installed electrical wiring and equipment.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/24/2008	approved construction type or materials.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/24/2008	corridors that are separated from common areas by walls constructed to limit the passage of smoke.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/24/2008	corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/24/2008	automatic sprinkler systems that have been maintained in working order.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	Tell the resident completely about his or her health status.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	Try to resolve each resident's complaints quickly.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	Provide activities to meet the needs of each resident.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	Make a complete assessment that covers all questions for areas that are listed in official regulations.	Pattern	Potential for minimal harm
04/01/2008	Develop a complete care plan that meets all of a resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	Provide a final summary of the resident's health status and a summary of the resident's stay, when the resident is ready to leave the nursing home.	Pattern	Potential for minimal harm
04/01/2008	Properly care for residents needing special services, including: injections, colostomy, ureostomy, ileostomy, tracheostomy care, tracheal suctioning, respiratory care, foot care, and prostheses.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	1) Make sure that residents who take drugs are not given too many doses or for too long; 2) make sure that the use of drugs is carefully watched; or 3) stop or change drugs that cause unwanted effects.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	1) Provide 3 meals daily at regular times; or 2) serve breakfast within 14 hours after dinner; or 3) offer a snack at bedtime each day.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	Have drugs and other similar products available, which are needed every day and in emergencies, and give them out properly.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	At least once a month, have a licensed pharmacist check the drugs that each resident takes.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	Properly mark drugs and other similar products.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	Have a program to keep infection from spreading.	Isolated	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm
04/01/2008	Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable.	Pattern	Minimal harm or potential for actual harm

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Where does this data come from?

The data on this website describes nursing home characteristics, quality measures, inspection results, and nursing staff information.

The data come from 2 sources:

1. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have an Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting (OSCAR) database - Includes the nursing home characteristics and health deficiencies issued during the three most recent state inspections and recent complaint investigations.

   The survey inspection results are collected by the state survey agencies, who perform onsite visits to nursing homes . The inspections occur at least once during a 15-month period, or any time in between as a result of a complaint received by the state. The inspections ensure that the nursing home residents receive quality care and services in a safe and comfortable environment in accordance with rules established by CMS. Complaints may be reported and inspected during the year (outside of the 9-15 month survey cycle). Inspections about a complaint that result in the citation of a health deficiency are reported to CMS and included in this website. Sometimes the inspection finds a problem that the nursing home identified and corrected before the inspection occurred. The fact and the nature of these prior problems (deficiencies) may be included in this website.

   The information on the nursing homes' characteristics derived from OSCAR are prepared by each nursing home at the beginning of the regular State inspection. This information is reported by the nursing homes themselves. It is reviewed by nursing home inspectors, but not formally audited to ensure data accuracy. In addition, this information changes frequently as residents are discharged and admitted, or resident conditions change.

2. National database known as the Minimum Data Set (MDS) Repository

   The data for the quality measures come from the MDS Repository. The MDS is collected on regular intervals for every resident in a Medicare or Medicaid certified nursing home. Information is collected on the resident's health, physical functioning, mental status, and general well-being. These data are used by the nursing home to access the needs and develop a plan of care unique to each resident.

   Regulations require that a MDS assessment be performed at admission, quarterly, annually, and whenever the resident experiences a significant change in status. For residents in a Medicare Part A stay, the MDS is also used to determine the Medicare reimbursement rate. These assessments are performed on the 5th, 14th, 30th, 60th and 90th day of admission.

   All of this data is reported by the nursing homes themselves. It is reviewed by nursing home inspectors, but not formally audited to ensure that it is accurate. Every attempt is made to assure the accuracy and timeliness of this information. However, this information changes frequently as residents are discharged and admitted, or resident conditions change. We advise interpreting this information cautiously and supplementing it with information from the Ombudsman's office, the State Survey Agency, or other sources.

   Some MDS items used to calculate the quality measures consider the resident's condition during previous days prior to the assessment date. The following table provides these "observation" or "look back" time frames.

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse:

• Unexplained injuries or bruises
• Over or under medication
• Visible cuts, bruises, or welts
• Rapid weight loss or weight gain
• Dehydration, malnutrition, and bedsores
• Unsanitary living conditions
• Infections
• Broken bones
• Sudden death