Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Memo To State Nursing Home Survey Agencies: Protecting Resident Privacy & Prohibiting Mental Abuse Related To Photographs & Audio/Video Recordings By Nursing Home Staff

On August 5, 2016, the federal Department of Health and Human Services released this memorandum regarding the protection of resident privacy and the prohibition of mental health abuse related to photographs and audio/video recordings by nursing home staff. This memorandum discusses the facility and state responsibilities related to the protection of residents, specifically, at the time of the next standard survey for both the Traditional survey and QIS, the survey team will request and review facility policies and procedures that prohibit staff from taking, keeping and/or distributing photographs and recordings that demean or humiliate a resident(s . . .