This F-Tag requires nursing facilities to assist residents in arranging transportation to and from outside services when the resident needs such help, taking into account the resident's clinical, physical, mental, and financial circumstances. Facilities are not required to cover transportation costs but must ensure their procedures do not result in cancelled appointments or adverse effects on resident care. Surveyors will cite deficiencies if residents who needed assistance were not helped with transportation arrangements or if delays in arranging transport negatively impacted care.
View official sourceF774 (Rev. 173, Issued: 11-22-17, Effective: 11-28-17, Implementation: 11-28-17) §483.50(a)(2) The facility must— (iii) Assist the resident in making transportation arrangements to and from the source of service, if the resident needs assistance. PROCEDURES During record reviews and interviews with residents, family members or resident representatives, determine if residents were offered and assisted in making transportation arrangements. In order to assist a resident, the facility should consider the resident’s clinical, physical, mental, and financial condition. For example, assisting a resident who has limited funds to be transported by a taxi when other, more inexpensive options are available would not really be assisting the resident. However, this standard is not requiring a facility to defray or cover the costs of transportation. If appointments were cancelled due to difficulties with transportation including the costs of transportation, determine if this was due to the facility’s procedures. If there are concerns regarding charges to the resident for any of these services, refer to §483.10(f)(10) and (11), Resident Rights Self-determination or §483.10(g)(17) and (18), Information and Communication. KEY ELEMENTS OF NONCOMPLIANCE To cite deficient practice at F774, the surveyor’s investigation will generally show that the facility failed to do any one or more of the following: • If required or requested, residents were not assisted in making transportation arrangements to and from the source of service; OR • If any delay in making these arrangements adversely affected resident care or treatment. If so, also refer to Quality of Care or Quality of Life requirements.