Return To C OMAR issues in Nursing Homes
Changing rooms within a nursing home
Moving, whether it is between facilities or within a facility, can cause unintended, sometimes life threatening consequences. In Maryland, the following regulation attempts to mitigate the effects of room changes particularly in nursing homes.
COMAR
10.07.09.12
.12 Resident Relocation and Bed Hold.
A. Notification of Resident Relocation Within a Facility.
(1) Except in emergency situations or when it is documented in the resident’s record that a resident’s physical, clinical, or psychological well-being would be jeopardized, a nursing facility shall notify a resident or, when applicable, the resident’s representative or interested family member, if available, in writing at least 30 days before the resident is relocated within a facility or to a different part of a facility, unless the resident or, if the resident is incapacitated, the resident’s legally authorized representative, agrees to the relocation and this is documented in the resident’s record.
(2) Under the limited conditions set forth in §A(1) of this regulation where 30-days notice cannot be provided in advance of a relocation, the facility shall document that it has provided notice of the relocation as soon as practicable.
(3) When a resident is relocated, the facility shall elicit and make reasonable efforts to comply with the resident’s request of location and, if applicable, assignment of roommate.
B. A resident’s right to refuse a change in room assignment under §A of this regulation does not affect the resident’s eligibility or entitlement to Medicaid benefits.