A Pennhurst Group Service
|
A Pennhurst Group Service
|
|
|
Antipsychotic Drugs in long term facilities are an enforcement priority and few facilities are prepared.
Starting as far back as 1987 the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) limited the use of psychotropic medications in residents of long-term care facilities. Updates of OBRA guidelines have liberalized some dosing restrictions, but documentation of necessity and periodic trials of medication withdrawal are still emphasized. Today there are still many facilities that are not prepared for a review of the use of their antipsychotic medication use in the facility. This is a very big area in year 2000 surveys and must be addressed on two levels. Initially, patients must be evaluated by a licensed psychologist to determine if the behavioral modalities have been used to correct the problem. A licensed psychiatrist must then review the record to determine the medical necessity of the specific antipsychotic drug being used. Because many facilities have not addressed these issues, there is usually an initial backlog of work the must be done to bring the facility up to speed. Pennhurst Group, will have its licensed psychologists and psychiatrists come to your facility and get this important patient care area upgraded so that your facility will satisfactorily complete this heavily focused area being reviewed by the regulators. This initial work can then be maintained on an regular basis locally. The cost for this service varies with the number of patients, and the location of the facility, however, we can get the job done before your next survey if you contact us now. Documentation is key: Specific Conditions That Justify The Use of Antipsychotic Drugs in Nursing Home Residents Schizophrenia Schizoaffective disorder Delusional disorder Psychotic mood disorder (including mania and depression with psychotic features) Acute psychotic episodes Brief reactive psychosis Schizophreniform disorder Atypical psychosis Tourette's syndrome Huntington's disease Organic mental syndromes (including delirium and dementia) with associated psychotic and/or agitated features defined by: Specific behaviors quantitatively (number of episodes) and objectively (i.e. biting, kicking, scratching) documented by the facility which cause the resident to: Present a danger to themselves Present a danger to others (including staff) Interfere with the staff's ability to provide care or Continuous crying out, screaming, yelling or pacing if these behaviors cause impairment in functional capacity, and if they are quantitatively (e.g. periods of time) documented by the facility or Psychotic symptoms Hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions not exhibited as specific behaviors in above features, if these symptoms cause impairment in functional capacity Short-term (7 days or less) symptomatic treatment of hiccups, nausea, vomiting, or pruritis. Both cognitively and physically impaired Primarily physically impaired Please contact us so that we may review the details of our programs with you in person. 610-524-2400 Extension #15 Email: info@virtualnursinghome.com or mail; Pennhurst Group Suite 250, 300 N. Pottstown Pike Exton, PA 19341-2239
|
|
Send mail to
info@virtualnursinghome.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
