Augmenting care with private duty and companion services
Using a private duty home care agency can be a great idea to augment the services your community is providing to residents. Private duty personnel can provide assistance with day-to-day activities such a meal preparation, housekeeping, personal grooming, hygiene and even act as a personal companion for residents in addition to taking a load off your staffs back. To stay compliant with the Washington DC CRF/CRCFD/HRA regulation on private personnel take a look below:
10118 PRIVATE DUTY HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
10118.1 Pursuant to § 701(a) of the Act (D.C. Official Code § 44-107.01(a)), the ALA shall be responsible for all personnel and services within the ALR, and shall cause all private duty healthcare professionals that provide healthcare related services on the ALR’s premises to comply with the requirements of this section as a condition of providing service on the ALR’s premises.
10118.2 An ALR shall require that private duty healthcare professionals arranged by a resident, surrogate, or party other than the ALR to provide healthcare-related services to the resident on the ALR’s premises on a recurring basis:
(a) Be certified, registered, licensed, or otherwise authorized by the District of Columbia to render the healthcare-related service they will provide to the resident;
(b) Maintain an accurate and current personnel record with the ALR that includes, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) A signed and dated description of the services to be rendered to the resident;
(2) A copy of the registration, certification, license, or other authorization required for the nurse, aide, or other healthcare professional to lawfully practice the healthcare-related services being rendered in the District of Columbia;
(3) Initial date and final date, if known, of providing service to resident on the ALR’s premises;
(4) A healthcare practitioner’s written statement as to whether the nurse, aide, or other healthcare professional bears any communicable diseases, including communicable tuberculosis; and
(5) If the nurse, aide, or other healthcare professional is providing care to the resident under the employ of an agency:
(A) The name, address, telephone number of the agency;
(B) The name and telephone number of the private nurse, aide, or other healthcare professional’s immediate supervisor; and
(C) A copy of the agency’s license or other authorization to operate in the District;
(c) Administer prescription medication to only the resident for whom the medication was prescribed, or assist in the self-administering of prescription medication for only the resident to whom the medication was prescribed; and
(d) Be subject to immediate removal from the premises upon determination by the ALA or designee that the nurse, aide, or other healthcare professional has, or is suspected to have, a communicable disease, is mentally or physically incapable of performing his or her duties, or otherwise presents a risk to the health and safety of one (1) or more residents in the ALR.
10118.3 An ALR shall inform a resident (or surrogate) promptly if a private duty healthcare professional he or she has contracted has been removed for the premises under § 30 10118.2(d). The ALR shall include the reason for the removal and its intended duration, and provide the resident (or surrogate) with an opportunity to appeal its decision in accordance with the ALR’s internal grievance procedures required by § 10110.2 of this chapter.
10118.4 An ALR shall have a written agreement with each private duty healthcare professional providing healthcare services on the ALR’s premises, or the agency that employs him or her, if applicable, requiring the private duty healthcare professional to report the following events to the ALR and describing the procedure by which such reporting shall occur:
(a) Medication errors and adverse drug reactions;
(b) Abuse, neglect, exploitation, or unusual incidents, such as changes in the resident’s condition; and
(c) Any restriction of, suspension, revocation, or failure to renew the healthcare professional’s license or other authorization to practice his or her healthcare profession in the District. 10118.5 Pursuant to § 607(a)(1) of the Act (D.C. Official Code § 44-106.07(a)(1)), the ALR shall be responsible for the safety and well-being of its residents, including residents receiving services from private duty healthcare professionals on the ALR’s premises.
10118.6 An ALR shall have the duty to ensure that all services and supports identified in a resident’s ISP are received by the resident. Services provided by a private duty healthcare professional shall not be presumed to have satisfied the ALR’s obligation to ensure that the resident receives all services and supports due, pursuant to his or her ISP. An ALR must provide or arrange for the provision of any service or support identified in a resident’s ISP that is left unsatisfied by the resident’s private duty healthcare professional.
10118.7 Nothing in this section authorizes a private duty healthcare professional to practice outside the scope of their authority to practice their profession in the District.
10118.8 The requirements for a private duty nurse, aide, or other healthcare professional under this section shall not apply to companions of a resident.
10119 COMPANIONS
10119.1 Pursuant to § 701(a) of the Act (D.C. Official Code § 44-107.01(a)), the ALA shall be responsible for all personnel and services within the ALR, and shall cause all companions that provide companion services on the ALR’s premises to comply with the requirements of this section as a condition of providing service on the ALR’s premises.
10119.2 A companion shall not be permitted to provide any healthcare services to a resident or perform any services that constitute hands-on care of the resident.
10119.3 A companion may provide companion services, including but not limited to cooking, housekeeping, errands, and providing social interaction with a resident. The ALR shall obtain a written description of the type and frequency of services to be delivered to the resident, review the information to determine if the services are acceptable based on the resident’s care needs, and notify the companion if the services to be provided are unacceptable.
10119.4 An ALR shall require that, prior to performing companion services for a resident, any companion with direct resident access must provide to the ALR:
(a) A completed criminal background check for unlicensed professionals performed in accordance with D.C. Official Code §§ 44-551 et seq. and 22- B DCMR §§ 4700 et seq., which shall be free from conviction of an offense listed in 22-B DCMR § 4705.1, or their equivalents, within seven (7) years prior to the criminal background check unless permitted under § 22-B DCMR § 4705.2;
(b) A healthcare practitioner’s written statement as to whether the companion bears any communicable diseases, including communicable tuberculosis; and
(c) A signed and dated description of the type and frequency of services to be delivered to the resident, approved pursuant to § 10119.3.
10119.5 A companion shall be subject to immediate removal from the ALR premises upon determination by the ALA or designee that he or she has, or is suspected to have, a communicable disease presents a risk to the health and safety of the residents, is mentally or physically incapable of performing his or her duties, or otherwise presents a risk to the health and safety of the residents. An ALR shall permit a resident (or surrogate) to appeal the removal of his or her companion in accordance with the ALR’s internal grievance procedures required by § 10110.2 of this chapter.
10119.6 An ALR shall have a written agreement with each companion providing companion services on the ALR’s premises, or the agency that employs him or her, if applicable, requiring the companion to report abuse, neglect, exploitation, or unusual incidents, such as changes in the resident’s condition, to the ALR and describing the procedure by which such reporting shall occur.
10119.7 Pursuant to § 607(a)(1) of the Act (D.C. Official Code § 44-106.07(a)(1)), the ALR shall be responsible for the safety and well-being of its residents, including residents receiving companion services from companions on the ALR’s premises.
Top Takeaways:
- 6 An ALR shall have the duty to ensure that all services and supports identified in a resident’s ISP are received by the resident. Services provided by a private duty healthcare professional shall not be presumed to have satisfied the ALR’s obligation to ensure that the resident receives all services and supports due, pursuant to his or her ISP. An ALR must provide or arrange for the provision of any service or support identified in a resident’s ISP that is left unsatisfied by the resident’s private duty healthcare professional.
The private duty agency and your staff need to be on the same page when it comes to the type of services they will be providing to your residents. You do not want a duplication of unnecessary services or a situation where you are not documenting the care in the resident’s ISP.