It has now been determined that) “Pacifica failed to ensure the resident’s attending physician complete the medical assessment prior to issuing the 60 Day Notices of Transfer that were sent by certified mail around May 19, 2021 to Sakura ICF families. These assessments must include an assessment of the resident’s susceptibility to adverse health consequences, including psycho-social effects, recommendations for counseling, follow-up visits, other recommended services, by designated health professionals, and for preventing or ameliorating potential adverse consequences in the event of a transfer. On June 15, 2021, Sakura ICF Administrator, Beverly Ito announced new 60 Day Notices must be reissued and the original July 20th planned
Per California Code, Health and Safety Code – HSC § 1336.2 (excerpt):
(a) Before residents are transferred due to any change in the status of the license or operation of a facility, including a facility closure or voluntary or involuntary termination of a facility’s Medi-Cal or Medicare certification, the facility shall take reasonable steps to transfer affected residents safely and minimize possible transfer trauma by, at a minimum, doing all of the following:
1) Be responsible for ensuring that the resident’s attending physician or the facility medical director, if the resident does not have an attending physician, completes the medical assessment of the resident’s condition and susceptibility to adverse health consequences, including psychosocial effects, prior to written notice of transfer being given to the resident. The assessment shall not be considered complete unless it provides, in accordance with these assessments, recommendations for counseling, followup visits, and other recommended services, by designated health professionals, and for preventing or ameliorating potential adverse health consequences in the event of transfer.
I addition, CDPH has stated that this means there will be no further staff layoffs from Sakura ICF prior to the effective date of the end of the official 60-day notification period.
This is good news for the families of the residents, buying them all more time to fight the evictions and Pacifica’s attempts to endanger the seniors!