Initial Comments:
Based on the findings of a home care agency state re-licensure survey completed on March 19, 2025, Comfort Keepers, was found to be in compliance with the requirements of 28 Pa. Code, Health Facilities, Part IV, Chapter 51, Subpart A.
Plan of Correction:
Initial Comments:
Based on the findings of a home care agency state re-licensure survey completed on March 19, 2025, Comfort Keepers, was found not to be in compliance with the requirements of 28 Pa. Code, Health Facilities, Part IV, Chapter 611, Subpart H. Home Care Agencies and Home Care Registries.
Plan of Correction:
611.56(a) LICENSURE
Health Screening
Name - Component - 00
(a) A home care agency or home care registry shall insure that each direct care worker and other office staff or contractors with direct consumer contact, prior to consumer contact, provide documentation that the individual has been screened for and is free from active mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Observations:
Based upon personnel file (PF) review and an email with the agency Vice President of Operations, it was determined the agency failed to ensure the direct care worker, prior to consumer contact, was screened for mycobacterium tuberculosis, in accordance with CDC (Center for Disease and Control) guidelines for four (4) out of seven (7) personnel files (PF) reviewed (PF#1, PF#2, PF#6, PF#7).
Findings include:
The CDC guidelines state that all Health Care Workers (HCW) should receive baseline tuberculosis screening upon hire, using a two-step tuberculin skin test (TST) or a single blood assay for tuberculosis (TB) to test for infection with tuberculosis. After baseline testing for infection with tuberculosis, HCWs should receive TB screening annually. HCWs with a baseline positive or newly positive test for tuberculosis infections should receive one chest radiograph result to exclude tuberculosis disease. (CDC Guidelines for preventing the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in health-care settings, 2005. Morbidity and Mortality World Report 2005; RR-17').(http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5417.pdf.)
*Baseline (preplacement) screening and testing, in addition to the IGRA (interferon-gamma release assay) or TST, shall include a symptom screen questionnaire and an individual TB risk assessment. Serial screening and testing not routinely recommended. Annual TB education is recommended. (CDC/MMWR/May 17, 2019/Vol. 68/No. 19).
Personnel files were reviewed on 3/18/25 from approximately 3:30 PM -4:30 PM revealing the following:
PF#1 (Date of hire (DOH) 12/30/2024): No documentation of completed baseline testing.
PF#2 (DOH: 4/11/2024): No documentation of completed baseline testing. PF included documentation of only one (1) TST.
PF#6 (DOH:6/-7/2024): No documentation of completed baseline testing. PF included documentation of only one (1) TST
PF#7 (DOH: 8/09/2024): No documentation of completed baseline testing.
An email from the agency Vice President of Operations on 3/19/2025 at approximately 7:23 AM confirmed the above findings.
Plan of Correction:All active personnel files for the West Chester office location will be reviewed for proper 2-step PPD documentation. Any that are missing will be required to complete either a 2-Step PPD test, Chest X-ray, or Quantiferon Gold test and provide those result and documentation to our HR team. We have started with the Personnel files that were included in this review and will expand to the rest of the personnel files thereafter.
Initial Comments:
Based on the findings of a home care agency state re-licensure survey completed on March 19, 2025, Comfort Keepers, was found to be in compliance with the requirements of 35 P.S. 448.809 (b).
Plan of Correction:
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