MDH Bulletin Provides Updates on Facility Maltreatment Reporting

Posted on April 30, 2019 by Jonathan Lips

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has posted to its website Information Bulletin 19-02: Update: MDH Nursing Home Facility Reporting Related to Federal Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation, or Mistreatment; and Minnesota Vulnerable Adults Act.  

Over the past few weeks we have heard from many care center members that MDH has not been communicating the status of facility-reported incidents in the same way it has done historically, creating a “limbo” situation.

The Bulletin addresses this issue and explains that – in order to comply with federal requirements – it will no longer provide email notices to facilities that reports received have been closed out.  The implementation date of the procedures outlined in the Bulletin is May 2.

According to the Bulletin, these updates are necessary for consistency with reporting requirements found in state law under Minnesota’s Vulnerable Adult Act and federally under regulations at CFR 483.12 for certified skilled nursing facilities (SNF), nursing facilities (NF) and for hospitals offering Medicare swing bed services.

Our staff received the Bulletin just before our editorial deadline for this week’s edition of Advantage, so we have not had an opportunity to consider all of the implications for members. We will write again on this topic, but for this week want to be sure you are aware the Bulletin is out.