Subj: OIG Posts Two Audit Reports 12/17
Date: 12/17/03 12:29:20 PM Pacific Standard Time
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Good Afternoon To All,
The HHS Office of Inspector General has posted six Audit Reports to its website. Summaries of the reports follow. Selecting the link immediately following the title will take you directly to the full document.
AUDIT REPORT SUMMARIES
Audit of Nursing Facility Staffing Requirements at Mariner Health of Denver (A-07-03-04022)
http://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region7/70304022.pdf
The objective of this audit was to determine whether Mariner Health of Denver (Mariner) was in compliance with Federal and State staffing laws and regulations for nursing facilities. Mariner is a 117 bed nursing facility located in Denver, Colorado. Mariner complied with Federal and State staffing laws and regulations with one exception. Colorado regulations require facilities to provide annual in-service education for staff in certain critical areas including rehabilitation. However, even though Mariner's corporate office had developed a training seminar for rehabilitative services, the facility did not provide its nursing staff with rehabilitative nursing training on an annual basis. We recommended that Mariner review its annual in-service training program to assure that all mandated State required training is included for all staff.
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Audit of Nursing Facility Staffing Requirements at Poplar Grove Care Center (A-07-03-04025)
http://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region7/70304025.pdf
The objective of this audit was to determine whether Poplar Grove Care Center (Poplar Grove) was in compliance with Federal and State staffing laws and regulations for nursing facilities. Poplar Grove is a 95 bed nursing facility located in Commerce City, Colorado. Poplar Grove complied with Federal and State staffing laws and regulations with one exception. State regulations require that a nursing care facility shall be staffed at all times with at least one registered nurse who is on duty on the premises. However, Poplar Grove did not always have a registered nurse on the premises during the evening shift. Poplar Grove officials indicated that it is difficult to employ a registered nurse during the evening shift. The lack of a registered nurse on the premises at all times may result in a reduction in the quality of care received by residents. We recommended that Poplar Grove make additional efforts, including expanding its hiring efforts, to ensure that the facilit!
y is staffed at all times with a registered nurse.
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Well, that's all for now. As always, if we can provide you with further information or assistance please don't hesitate to let us know either by email ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) or by phone (202/619-1343) how we can help. Hope your preholiday season is shaping up well.
-- Don White, Public Affairs
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The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) protects the integrity of HHS programs from fraud, waste and abuse through its nationwide network of auditors, investigators and analysts. In FY 2003, OIG saved taxpayers a record $23 billion, excluded 3,275 people and companies from Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement, secured 576 criminal convictions and 243 civil actions.
