F572 – Information and Communication

F572 is another regulation in the residents’ rights category and focuses on the nursing home providing information on the residents’ rights, rules, regulations, and the resident’s conduct and responsibilities of the residents during their stay. The nursing home is also required to provide notice of the residents’ rights prior to or upon admission and during the residents’ stay. This includes:

• Informing the residents both orally and in writing in a language that they understand, of their rights and rules governing their conduct and responsibilities during their stay.
• A notice of Medicaid rights and obligations as applicable.

Finally, the residents or their responsible party must acknowledge receipt of these items in writing.

Compliance strategies may include but are not limited to:

• Many providers have a document that is provided to residents or their representatives at admission. Ensure that you have a process for the residents or their representative to sign that they received the document.
• To comply with the “during their stay” aspect, providers may review residents’ rights in their newsletter or during their town hall/council meetings.
• Ensure that you have the rights available in all primary languages based on your resident population.

State specific requirements include:

Illinois rules indicate that the residents’ advisory council must review procedures for implementing residents’ rights and the nursing home responsibilities and make recommendations for changes and additions which will strengthen the policies and procedures. In addition to acknowledging in writing a copy of the residents’ rights, nursing homes must also provide a copy of the policies implementing such rights.

Iowa rules state the residents’ rights must be prominently posted in a location that is available to all residents. Note that this generally includes individuals in wheelchairs who must be able to access the posting.