F0835 F835: Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
E

Failure of Administrative Oversight for Physician-Ordered Consults and Diagnostic Tests

Riverbank Post-acuteRiverbank, California Survey Completed on 03-23-2026

Summary

The deficiency involves the Administrator’s failure to provide effective oversight and necessary resources to ensure that physician-ordered consultations and diagnostic tests were scheduled, carried out, and documented in the electronic medical record (EMR) for multiple residents. The Administrator was the direct supervisor of the Social Services Director (SSD) and was responsible, per the job description, for directing day-to-day operations, ensuring policies and procedures were implemented, and reviewing the competence of the workforce. Despite this, the Administrator was not aware that the SSD was not consistently scheduling ordered appointments or documenting referral activities in the EMR, and allowed the SSD to maintain paper records in a personal folder and use a temporary communication board that was not part of the permanent medical record. For one resident with COPD, dysphagia, and altered mental status, a physician ordered a Modified Barium Swallow (MBS) to rule out silent aspiration. Nursing documented that the SSD was notified of the order, and the expectation was that the SSD would schedule the test and document follow-up. However, there was no documentation in the EMR that the MBS was scheduled, completed, or refused, and the SSD later stated that the resident had refused the MBS and that the responsible party had also refused, but she had not documented this in the resident’s medical record. For another resident with seizures, dystonia, traumatic brain injury, and a gastrostomy, a physician ordered a Barium Swallow consult. Nursing notes indicated that the Social Services Assistant or SSD was notified, but the SSD acknowledged that although she contacted the resident’s sister and the hospital, she did not document her attempts to schedule the MBS or her contacts with the responsible party in the EMR, nor did she follow up with the speech therapist after being unable to schedule the test. A third resident with hemiplegia, hemiparesis following cerebral infarction, dysphagia, aphasia, and a gastrostomy had physician orders for an ENT consult to assist with vocal cord mobility and an MBS to rule out silent aspiration and determine if oral diet was possible. The SSD stated that an in-house ENT consult had been scheduled but not documented in the EMR and that the MBS had not been scheduled because they were waiting for the ENT consult and insurance authorization. The SSD did not document any attempts to obtain authorization, schedule the MBS, or notify the speech therapist or primary physician of delays. The SSD described a referral process in which orders were left under her office door when she was absent and acknowledged that she did not routinely document referral attempts or follow-up in the EMR, instead keeping papers in a folder and using a communication section of the EMR that was automatically cleared and not part of the permanent record. The facility’s policy required Social Services to collaborate with nursing to arrange ordered services and to document referrals in the resident’s medical record, but this was not done. The Administrator confirmed that he was aware the SSD was documenting on paper and in a non-permanent communication board, and that he expected physician orders to be followed and referrals documented, but he had not ensured that this occurred, resulting in ordered consultations and tests for several residents not being timely scheduled or properly documented. The surveyors also observed one resident with a gastrostomy lying in bed with an enteral feeding pump at bedside not connected to the gastrostomy tube, and this resident was verbally nonresponsive. While this observation did not directly reference a missed order, it occurred in the context of broader concerns about the facility’s management of residents requiring specialized nutritional support and diagnostic evaluation for swallowing. Across the reviewed cases, there was no evidence in the EMR of timely scheduling, follow-up, or clear documentation of refusals or barriers to completing ordered tests and consultations. The SSD herself stated that if something was not documented, it was considered not done, and acknowledged that she should have documented her attempts and follow-up in the EMR so they would be part of the medical record. The Administrator’s lack of effective oversight and failure to ensure adherence to the facility’s referral and documentation policies contributed to these gaps in care coordination and recordkeeping for multiple residents. The facility’s written policy on Social Services referrals required that referrals for medical services be based on physician evaluation, that Social Services collaborate with nursing and other disciplines to arrange ordered services, and that Social Services document the referral in the resident’s medical record. The Administrator’s job description required development and maintenance of policies and procedures, routine inspections to ensure implementation, consultation with department directors to correct problem areas, and review of staff competence. Despite these requirements, the Administrator did not detect or correct the SSD’s practice of using non-medical-record systems (paper folders and a temporary communication board) for tracking referrals, did not ensure that physician orders for MBS and ENT consults were carried out, and did not ensure that all referral-related activities were documented in the EMR. This lack of administrative oversight and failure to enforce established policies led to physician-ordered consultations and tests for several residents not being timely scheduled or properly documented in the medical record.

Penalty

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0835 citations in Ohio
Administrative Instability and Inadequate Oversight Leading to Widespread Care Failures
F
F0835 F835: Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
Short Summary

The facility experienced frequent turnover in the administrator and DON positions and lacked effective administrative systems to ensure adequate staffing and oversight of resident care. Residents and families reported chronic understaffing, long call light response times, missed showers, and lack of assistance with turning and repositioning, while staff confirmed that halls were often staffed with only one CNA and that mechanical lifts were sometimes done by a single staff member. Due to this lack of consistent oversight, multiple residents experienced serious care failures, including delayed response to acute changes in condition, unmanaged constipation progressing to stercoral colitis, inadequate management of CHF, wounds, UTIs, and glaucoma, insufficient ADL assistance, missed or incomplete pressure ulcer treatments, unrecognized significant weight loss, and deficiencies in infection prevention and control practices.

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Investigate DON Misconduct and Alleged Impairment
F
F0835 F835: Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
Short Summary

The facility failed to effectively administer operations when leadership did not thoroughly investigate or act on repeated concerns about the DON’s performance and possible alcohol use while on duty. Staff and a behavioral health provider reported the DON’s poor attendance, lack of communication, failure to address clinical issues such as falls and showers, and multiple instances of the DON smelling of alcohol and appearing impaired. CNAs and an LPN described fear of retaliation, difficulty reaching the DON for resident care issues, and unsafe staffing conditions when the DON left or arrived late. Although a performance improvement plan identified substantiated concerns including failure to meet RN coverage, unprofessional conduct, and allegations of working under the influence, there was no evidence that the Administrator or corporate HR monitored the DON’s behavior, audited staffing or documentation, or conducted a documented investigation into these allegations.

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Leadership Failures in Abuse Investigation, Medication Misappropriation Response, and License Oversight
F
F0835 F835: Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
Short Summary

Facility leadership failed to provide effective oversight of operations, including abuse and misappropriation investigations, staff conduct, and license verification. The DON dismissed concerns from the Ombudsman and staff about alleged narcotic misappropriation by an LPN and acknowledged uncertainty about how to conduct thorough incident and SRI investigations. An LPN with a suspended license for narcotic diversion worked multiple full-time night shifts before the lapse in license verification was recognized, despite an existing policy requiring regular checks. A resident and staff reported feeling unable or afraid to bring concerns to the Administrator due to his intimidating behavior and raised voice. In a separate alleged abuse incident between two residents, the Administrator omitted key details from CNAs’ handwritten witness statements when creating typed versions for the SRI file and initially failed to maintain those original statements in the investigation record, later justifying his practice by criticizing staff handwriting and claiming to add depth to their accounts.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Report and Accurately Disclose Alleged Staff-to-Resident Sexual Abuse
D
F0835 F835: Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
Short Summary

A resident with severe cognitive impairment, dementia, depression, and significant functional dependence reported that a male CNA attempted a sexual act during care, identifying him by name and description. An LPN, a social worker designee, and the HR director promptly learned of the allegation, interviewed the resident, confirmed the CNA’s description, and notified the Administrator by phone while the resident’s statements were audible on speaker. The Administrator instructed the CNA to leave but did not timely report the allegation of sexual abuse to the state as required, later entered it as physical abuse in the reporting system, and told police that facility leadership first learned of the allegation from the resident’s son days later, contrary to multiple staff accounts. This constituted a failure of effective facility administration in handling an abuse allegation.

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Address Impaired Nurse and Missed Resident Care
F
F0835 F835: Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
Short Summary

An LPN worked while appearing to be under the influence of an illegal substance, with residents reporting late or missed medications, improper administration of pain medication after it was dropped on the floor, and the LPN falling asleep while standing and on a resident’s bed. Staff repeatedly reported the LPN’s erratic behavior to an on-call LPN, but the concerns were not promptly escalated to the DON or Administrator, and the impaired LPN completed one full shift and part of another while continuing to provide care. Residents reported not receiving medications, tube feedings, treatments, and other ordered interventions during this time. The facility’s subsequent internal review confirmed that the LPN tested positive for cocaine and that the investigation was incomplete, as not all residents were assessed or interviewed, and key oversight processes, including timely notification of the Medical Director and QAPI review, were not carried out as required by facility policies and resident care agreements.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure of Administration to Ensure Effective Staff Orientation, Reporting, and Response to Abuse/Neglect Concerns
F
F0835 F835: Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently.
Short Summary

Facility administration failed to ensure effective oversight of staff orientation and reporting of abuse and neglect concerns. A CNA was observed kicking a resident’s bed and striking the resident with a closed fist, and that CNA’s orientation record lacked completion and signatures for key safety and care topics, including falls management, safe transfers, use of mechanical lifts, alarms, and behavior management. A resident’s allegation of neglect reported to nursing staff was not communicated to administration and no investigation was initiated. Staff did not report that other staff were taking pictures of a resident during care, and bruising on another resident’s arm was not adequately reported, assessed, or monitored. The Administrator and DON acknowledged these reporting and assessment failures, and the Medical Director stated he had not been informed of these concerns.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

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