Admissions, Discharge And Transfers

(1) The agency only admits patients whose needs can be met by the services the agency provides. (a) There shall be written policies and procedures and an organizational process that indicates employees with the necessary skill and training are assigned to assess the level and type of care/service required by patients referred to the agency, and to determine whether the patient is eligible for admission based on the agency’s criteria and availability of services to meet the patient’s needs. There shall also be a STANDARDS FOR HOME CARE ORGANIZATIONS CHAPTER 0720-30 PROVIDING HOME MEDICAL EQUIPMENT reasonable time frame in which the patient’s eligibility for admission is assessed which takes into account the patient’s service needs. (b) There shall be a written policy that addresses the agency’s compliance with federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws in the selection of patients. (2) Patients shall be transferred or referred to other organizations/agencies in the community when service needs are identified by staff or patients which cannot be met by the agency. (3) The agency shall ensure that no person, on the grounds of race, color, national origin or handicap, will be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination in the provision of any care or service of the agency. The agency shall protect the civil rights of patients under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.