If you own or manage a residential care facility for the elderly (RCFE), you’ve faced challenge after challenge this year. On top of the onus to keep your residents safe from COVID-19, you’ve had to pivot with new state regulation in light of the pandemic.
That’s meant changes to the biannual inspections performed by a Licensing Program Analyst (LPA). Traditionally, that LPA would visit every six months to go through details around your facility’s compliance with Title 22 regulations. They would note any deficiencies and possibly even issue citations.
But this year, everything changed.
Moving to tele-inspections
Beginning March 26 of this year, per PIN 20-05-CRP, LPAs transitioned to performing the majority of their inspections via video call. That includes routine inspections of RCFEs. There was one major caveat here, though: priority 1 complaints — those that pose a serious risk to residents’ health and wellness — still warranted an in-person inspection.
This shift to tele-inspections required RCFEs to prepare a mobile video call system. A simple phone call (or even a conference call) wasn’t deemed sufficient.
Instead, RCFEs needed to be able to virtually show the LPA various things around their facility. The easiest way to accomplish this is to use a mobile device (i.e., a smartphone or tablet) and one of the following video call apps:
- Facetime
- Zoom
- Skype
- Google Duo/Google Hangouts
Tele-inspections don’t mean RCFEs can be more lenient about Title 22 regulations. To help yourself prepare for tele-inspection, it can be beneficial to review this toolkit from the California Department of Social Services.
While inspections are still conducted virtually, PIN 20-24-CCLD resumed in-person visits for all complaints investigations in early October. You could still have an LPA show up in person at your RCFE to look into any complain they’ve received.
Scheduling and getting the most from tele-inspection
Your LPA should reach out to you to schedule your tele-inspection. If you have any questions or you don’t hear from an LPA, you can contact your regional office.
The tele-inspection provides you with a unique opportunity to connect with your LPA. When they visit in-person, there’s a focus on continually moving throughout your RCFE to make sure everything is in compliance.
With a tele-inspection, you control the flow of movement throughout the inspection process. This gives you the opportunity to pause and ask questions.
In fact, you can use your tele-inspection to ask your LPA questions well beyond your day-to-day operations. Inquire about changes in the industry. Ask what your competitors are doing. Find out if they have any tips to help you better your RCFE and keep your residents even safer.
Ultimately, your tele-inspection could be an opportunity to get tips from an industry insider (your LPA). Use it to your advantage so you can come out of 2020 stronger than ever.
To help you do exactly that, our team at InsuremyRCFE.com offers top-tier insurance coverage for residential care facility owners and managers. To learn more, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
