Could a similar State survey instance happen in your facility?:

In early June 2006, a State of Kansas Nursing Facility Survey Team entered a 100 bed nursing facility and promptly asked for five specific patient charts.  Co-incidentally, each of the patients had experienced a sentinel event in the previous 12 months.  Working in a reverse manner, team members sought documentation which would lead to substantiation of patient conditions, treatment and facts which led to the sentinel event.  In several of the instances, patient dehydration had occurred and thus fluid consumption information was sought. As it turned out, the facility had diligently collected fluid and food consumed information.  Unfortunately, the information was left in an intake log book which dietary and nursing personnel had been unable to convert into actionable information prior to the sentinel event occurrence.   The surveyors were left with no choice but to fine the facility and assess a ‘G’ level fine against the facility.

Such incidents are the reason that many facilities are currently using the VBTracker Visual Dietary Communication System (VDCS).  Using barcode scanning technology, those facilities are able to report, first thing in the morning, all patients’ fluid and food consumption from the previous day. This data is compiled and compared to ‘Norms’ that demonstrate patients who are at RISK.  Interestingly, the VDCS costs less than one-half of one ‘G’ level fine.  For additional information, call 1-800-362-1314.