Department of Health & Human Services

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Form Approved

OMB No. 0938-0391
Statement of Deficiencies (X1) Provider/Supplier/CLIA Identification Number 757188 (X3) Date Survey Completed 02/13/2025
Name of Provider or Supplier Simple Touch Home Health Care, Inc Street Address, City, State 5250 Santa Monica Blvd Suite 211, Los Angeles, CA
For information on the provider's plan to correct this deficiency, please contact the provider or the state survey agency.
(X4) ID Prefix Tag Summary Statement of Deficiencies

(Each deficiency should be preceded by full regulatory or LSC identifying information)
G0532 Continuing need for home care
CFR(s): 484.55(c)(3)

The patient's continuing need for home care;


This ELEMENT is not met as evidenced by:
Based on observation, interview and record review, the Home Health Agency (HHA) failed to assess the patients' continuing need for home care services for four of 7 sampled patients (Patient 1, Patient 2, Patient 5 and Patient 6).





This deficient practice resulted in the continued skilled nurse services to these patients lacking the comprehensive assessments to clearly demonstrate the continuing provision of the home health benefits.


c. During a review of Patient 5's Face Sheet, the Face Sheet indicated a SOC date of 11/1/2024.





During a review of Patient 5’s Home Health Certification and Plan of Care (POC) for the certification period from 11/1/2024 to 12/30/2024, the POC indicated Patient 5’s diagnosis which included hypothyroidism (condition in which the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone), essential hypertension (HTN-high blood pressure), and constipation (infrequent or difficult bowel movements). The POC included an order for the skilled nurse (SN) to visit the patient once a week for 9 weeks to perform skilled assessment and evaluation of all body systems, assess vital signs (measure the basic functions of the body that includes body temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiratory [breathing] rate), and patient’s response and compliance to medication and diet regimen, home safety and psychosocial adjustment. The goals and outcomes included patient’s blood pressure will be maintained within established parameters without signs and symptoms (s/sx) of hypotension (low blood pressure) or hypertension (high blood pressure) with compliance to prescribed medication, will demonstrate knowledge of medication and diet, and will remain safe at home, free from fall/injury/hospitalization throughout the certification period. Discharge planning indicated to discharge patient under self/caregiver’s assistance with regular MD (physician) follow-up when all goals were met, when medical condition was stable and patient no longer in need of skilled services.





During a joint home visit, on 2/12/2025 at 3:05 p.m., at Patient 5’s residence with the licensed vocational nurse (LVN 1), Patient 5 was observed awake, alert, oriented x 3 (to person, place, and time), and ambulatory with stable gait without using any assisted device. During an interview, Patient 5 she goes visit her physician regularly as scheduled, had no falls, no wounds, had no hospitalization, and can managed her medication and diet regimen independently. Patient 5 stated she does not have a caregiver or needed one.





During a concurrent interview and record review, on 2/13/2025 at 12:45 p.m. with the Director of Patient Care Services (DPCS), the DPCS reviewed Patient 5’s clinical records. The DPCS stated Patient 5’s blood pressure and vital signs were within normal parameters, that she had no recent admissions to the hospital, no episodes of falls, no wound care, nor any evidence of the need for skilled nursing services to continue. However, the DPCS stated Patient 5 was re-certified for another 60 days for continuous skilled nursing services. The DPCS further stated Patient 5 should have been discharged because her goals have been met and there was no need for skilled nursing services.





d. During a review of Patient 6's Face Sheet, the Face Sheet indicated a SOC date of 9/30/2024.





During a review of Patient 6’s Home Health Certification and POC for the certification period from 9/30/2024 to 11/28/2024, the POC indicated Patient 6’s diagnosis which included spondylosis (age-related wear and tear of the spinal disks), hypertensive heart disease (heart problems that occur because of high blood pressure that is present over a long time), and hyperlipidemia (a condition in which there are high levels of fat particles in the blood). The POC included an order for the skilled nurse (SN) to visit the patient once a week for 9 weeks to perform skilled assessment and evaluation of all body systems, assess vital signs (measure the basic functions of the body that includes body temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiratory [breathing] rate), and patient’s response and compliance to medication and diet regimen, home safety and psychosocial adjustment. The goals included patient will demonstrate fair to moderate improvement on functional abilities, will maintain vital signs within normal parameters, skin integrity will remain intact, will demonstrate compliance with medication and diet, and will be free from falls/injuries/hospitalizations. Discharge planning indicated to discharge patient under self/caregiver’s assistance with regular MD (physician) follow-up when all goals were met, when medical condition was stable and patient no longer in need of skilled services.





During a phone interview, on 2/13/2025 at 9:15 a.m., Patient 6 stated she was doing fine.





During a concurrent interview and record review, on 2/13/2025 at 12:45 p.m. with the DPCS, the DPCS reviewed Patient 6’s clinical records. The DPCS stated Patient 6’s vital signs were within normal parameters, that she had no recent admissions to the hospital, no episodes of falls, no documented evidence of wound care treatment, nor any evidence of the need for skilled nursing services to continue. However, the DPCS stated Patient 6 was re-certified for another 60 days for continuous skilled nursing services. The DPCS further stated Patient 6 should have been discharged at the end of the first benefit period because her goals have been met and there was no need for skilled nursing services.





During a review of the agency’s policy and procedure (P&P) titled, Discharge Criteria and Process, dated April 2020, the P&P indicated the purpose of the policy is to outline the process for discharging a patient from service. Services will be terminated when the patient meets one of the following discharge criteria: if appropriate, the physician and the organization agree that the goals of home care have been attained or are no longer attainable.






















a. During a review of Patient 1's Face Sheet (front page of the chart that contains a summary of basic information about the patient), the Face Sheet indicated a start of care date (SOC) date of 9/29/2024, with a diagnosis of unspecified hypothyroidism (happens when the thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone).





During a review of Patient 1’s Home Health Certification and Plan of Care (POC) for the re-certification period from 11/28/2024 to 1/26/2025, the POC included an order for the skilled nurse (SN) to visit the patient once a week for 9 weeks. The SN was to conduct skilled assessment and observation, management of patient’s overall health status, assess vital signs (measure the basic functions of your body that includes body temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiratory [breathing] rate), and instruct patient and/or patient caregiver regarding medication compliance and dietary regimen. The goals and outcomes included patient/caregiver will have adequate understanding of teachings on the disease conditions, will demonstrate medication compliance and diet regimen, and there will be no exacerbation or complications of disease, hospitalization or emergent care within the 9 weeks of certification period and patient will remain safe in the home, free from falls/injury/skin breakdown. Discharge planning indicated to discharge patient safely to current residence with caregiver assistance when all goals are met and skilled services are no longer needed, under MD (physician) supervision and regular follow up.





During a phone interview, on 2/12/2025 at 2:30 p.m., with family member (FM 1), FM 1 stated Patient 1 was able to ambulate using a walker, goes to visit his physician regularly as scheduled, had no falls, no wounds, had no hospitalization, and manages his own medications.





During a concurrent interview and record review, on 2/13/2025 at 12:50 p.m., with the Director of Patient Care Services (DPCS), the DPCS reviewed Patient 1’s clinical nursing visit notes, nursing assessment and the POC. The DPCS stated that for the month starting 11/28/2024 to 1/26/2025, Patient 1’s vital signs were within normal range, that he had no recent admissions to the hospital, no episodes of falls, no wound care, nor any evidence of the need for skilled nursing services to continue. However, the DPCS stated Patient 1 was re-certified for another 60 days for continuous skilled nursing services. The DPCS further stated Patient 1 should have been discharged because his goals have been met and there was no need for skilled nursing services.








b. During a review of Patient 2's Face Sheet (front page of the chart that contains a summary of basic information about the patient), the Face Sheet indicated a start of care date (SOC) date of 11/20/2024, with a diagnosis of unspecified epilepsy (a chronic brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, which are brief episodes of abnormal brain activity that can cause involuntary movements, loss of consciousness, or other symptom).





During a review of Patient 2’s Home Health Certification and Plan of Care (POC) for the certification period from 11/20/2024 to 1/18/2025, the POC included an order for the skilled nurse (SN) to visit the patient once a week for 9 weeks. The SN was to conduct skilled assessment and observation, management of patient’s overall health status, assess vital signs (measure the basic functions of your body that includes body temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiratory [breathing] rate), and instruct patient and/or patient caregiver regarding medication compliance and dietary regimen. The goals and outcomes included patient/caregiver will have adequate understanding of teachings on the disease conditions, will demonstrate medication compliance and diet regimen, and there will be no exacerbation or complications of disease, hospitalization or emergent care within the 9 weeks of certification period and patient will remain safe in the home, free from falls/injury/skin breakdown. Discharge planning indicated to discharge patient safely to current residence with caregiver assistance when all goals are met and skilled services are no longer needed, under MD (physician) supervision and regular follow up.





During a phone interview, on 2/12/2025 at 2:30 p.m., with family member (FM 1), FM 1 stated Patient 2 was able to ambulate without using any assistive device and drives a car to do errands, goes to visit her physician regularly as scheduled, had no falls, no wounds, had no hospitalization, and manages her own medications.





During a concurrent interview and record review, on 2/13/2025 at 1:15 p.m., with the Director of Patient Care Services (DPCS), the DPCS reviewed Patient 2’s clinical nursing visit notes, nursing assessment and the POC. The DPCS stated that for the month starting 11/20/2024 to 1/18/2025, Patient 2’s vital signs were within normal range, that she had no recent admissions to the hospital, no episodes of falls, no wound care, nor any evidence of the need for skilled nursing services to continue. However, the DPCS stated Patient 2 was re-certified for another 60 days for continuous skilled nursing services. The DPCS further stated Patient 2 should have been discharged because his goals have been met and there was no need for skilled nursing services.





During a review of the agency’s undated policy and procedure (P&P) titled, Patient Discharge Process, the P&P indicated discharge planning is initiated for every home care patient at the time of the patient’s admission for home care. Planning for discharge is provided as part of the ongoing assessment of needs and in accordance with expected care outcomes. Criteria for discharge may include but are not limited to the following: the patient has reached defined goals and is no longer in need of home care.