What Is a Healthcare Ombudsman? Missouri Guide for Facilities

According to estimates, more than 800,000 older Americans reside in assisted living facilities. With such a high volume of elders requiring care — and an even greater demand on the horizon — how can facility leaders be sure all residents get the attention they deserve?

One way to ensure individuals’ needs are met is by welcoming the support of a healthcare ombudsman. Missouri programs give residents an outlet to express concerns and identify ways to maximize their quality of life. Learn more about what an ombudsman does and how they can improve the patient or resident experience at your facility.

What Is the Missouri Ombudsman Program?

In the 1970s, the federal government created the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) as part of the Older Americans Act (OAA). The program gives states resources to investigate complaints made in nursing homes through the support of an ombudsman. Missouri’s program was formed in 1975 and continues to serve residents in nursing homes, residential care facilities, and veteran’s homes today.

The Missouri Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program aims to improve residents’ quality of life through advocacy and education. Through frequent visits to residential facilities, ombudsmen help individuals express their resident’s rights and serve as a listening ear to those who could use support.

What Does a Missouri State Ombudsman Do?

A healthcare ombudsman helps residents and families navigate issues related to care, quality of life, financial management, and more. An ombudsman does not provide legal advice, but they can direct residents to resources about legal matters if necessary. No matter what problem they’re solving, ombudsmen maintain confidentiality to create trusting relationships with residents. Examples of their duties include:

• Conflict Resolution — An ombudsman can mediate issues between residents and staff, such as a disagreement about their care plan or daily activities. Having disputes settled early and effectively helps maintain resident satisfaction at your facility.

• Improving Quality of Life — Resident complaints can range from serious issues like abuse or neglect to minor concerns like dissatisfaction with food. By spending quality time with residents, an ombudsman can identify issues and create resolutions. This often prevents smaller issues from turning into major complaints.

• Advocacy and Empowerment — Many residents in long-term care feel disempowered or can’t speak out against issues with their care. An ombudsman encourages residents to speak up for themselves to improve their quality of life. In other cases, an ombudsman advocates for residents to improve situations, both in the care setting and in public forums.

• Education — An ombudsman is responsible for educating residents and the public about topics like resident rights.

Who Does a Healthcare Ombudsman Work With?

In Missouri, ombudspeople work for regional ombudsman contractors, who report to the Area Agencies on Aging (AAA). An ombudsman may interact with various stakeholders in a number of settings. For example, an ombudsman may spend one day advocating for veterans at a Veterans Affairs (VA) home, and another providing community education about residents’ rights.

In the care setting, the ombudsman works closely with residents and families to resolve issues. They may also collaborate with staff to gather information during investigations. If they visit your facility, you should encourage staff to collaborate professionally with an ombudsman. Missouri representatives go through comprehensive ombudsman training to deliver meaningful results to long-term care residents while keeping the facility’s needs in consideration.

Tips for Facilities Working With a State Ombudsman

Anyone can report a complaint to a long-term care ombudsman, including residents, families, staff, administrators, and citizen’s groups. Complaints of nursing home abuse or neglect may be reported to an ombudsman or a state agency. Because ombudspeople are trained to identify signs of abuse, they may identify concerns and report incidents to the appropriate authorities. However, they may be called into a facility for other reasons. According to the Administration for Community Living, the top complaints at assisted living facilities are:

• Inadequate discharge planning or improper eviction of residents
• Issues with medication administration
• Dissatisfaction with food
• A lack of respect toward residents
• Environmental concerns, such as hazardous building conditions

When an ombudsman visits a facility, their primary goal is to ensure that residents’ rights are being respected and that the facility is providing adequate care. They may observe environmental cleanliness, resident interactions, and other factors affecting living conditions.

Visits may also include discussions with staff, residents, or families to investigate concerns and work toward solutions. Facility leaders should inform staff that a visit from an ombudsman isn’t the same as a state survey. Ombudspeople seek to achieve a resolution to a problem — not to issue citations or scrutinize staff. This is why it’s crucial to provide staff education about the role of an ombudsman and how to effectively interact with state representatives.

Find More Ways to Support Long-Term Care Residents

As a healthcare facility leader, you can help improve residents’ quality of life by collaborating with your state ombudsman. Missouri’s program provides added support so residents can exercise their rights as citizens and care recipients. Learn more ways to support residents and families at your long-term care facility in IntelyCare’s free newsletter.