What Is a Healthcare Ombudsman? New Hampshire Guide for Facilities
Elderly long-term care facility residents are at risk for loneliness, isolation, and neglect. To minimize these risks and improve care quality for seniors, Congress in 1972 established the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP). As part of this law, each state is required to employ a patient advocate to oversee the condition and treatment quality of residential care facilities. In New Hampshire, this representative is called a health ombudsman.
New Hampshire employees and volunteers called ombudsmen advocate for fair and ethical patient treatment in healthcare facilities across the state. They collaborate with patients, their family members, lawmakers, and facility staff to optimize patient outcomes and ensure care needs are met.
In this article, we give an overview of the New Hampshire health ombudsman program, outline the duties of these patient advocates, and provide tips for facilities looking to partner with ombudsmen to help their elderly residents live life to the fullest.
What Is the NH Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program?
The Older Americans Act was created to assist elderly individuals with accessing essential community services like transportation assistance, food supplies, and healthcare. The LTCOP, created as part of the OAA, protects senior citizens living in:
- Nursing homes
- Assisted living facilities
- Long-term rehabilitation centers
- Adult day care facilities
- Hospice centers
Prior to the creation of New Hampshire’s ombudsman program, there was little formalized oversight of the state’s long-term care facilities. Care complaints were often left unaddressed, leaving vulnerable elderly patients feeling ignored and alone.
State ombudsmen, in conjunction with the NH Council on Aging and the New Hampshire DHHS, represent patient needs and work to ensure patients receive the dignity and respect they deserve.
What Is the Role of a New Hampshire Ombudsman?
New Hampshire health ombudsmen aren’t licensed clinicians and therefore don’t provide direct patient care. Instead, they serve elderly patients by:
- Educating them, their families, and care teams about the New Hampshire resources and services available to them.
- Assisting with complaints like abuse, neglect, improper discharge planning, quality and choice of food, and poor medication distribution.
- Completing annual and periodic assessments of care facilities to ensure staff adhere to government-mandated rules and regulations.
- Providing information on legal rights and policy changes to patients and facilities, and suggesting changes to governmental agencies when appropriate.
- Serving as a liaison for patients and their families to address grievances and identify possible solutions.
- Advocating for change at the government level to improve each individual’s care.
How Can Facilities Prepare for Visits From a Health Ombudsman?
New Hampshire healthcare facility staff may fear involvement with a state ombudsman, falsely assuming that working with government representatives will spark punitive or accusatory action.
It’s important to reiterate that ombudsmen don’t exist to punish care providers or shut down facilities, but instead strive to make the caregiving experience better for everyone. Partnering with state representatives can alleviate caregiver burdens and make regulatory oversight visits more productive. Here are three tips to ensure help your team get the most out of an ombudsman site visit:
1. Provide Education and Training on the New Hampshire State Ombudsman Program
Orient new employees to the New Hampshire state ombudsman program and re-familiarize existing staff with program offerings at yearly training sessions. It’s equally important to educate patients and families on the role of health ombudsman, and provide insight into other NH elderly benefits like financial support or free food delivery that the state may offer.
Posting ombudsman infographics and distributing program brochures is an easy way to spark conversation about the program and get the word out about impending ombudsman site visits. Being open and honest about regulatory oversight shows that you prioritize patient care over financial gains, which can strengthen your company’s integrity and encourage patient loyalty.
2. Involve Key Stakeholders in the Care Planning Process
Allowing key players to share feedback and ideas for improvement helps create a sense of unity among care providers and the patients they serve. When updating cafeteria menus, room decor, and daily care schedules, allow all parties to share input on which options they prefer. Helping patients and their family members express their wishes at all service-planning stages is proactive and can prevent small issues from becoming more significant in the future.
3. Distribute Ombudsman Contact Information
For additional information on ombudsman (New Hampshire) services and program offerings, staff, patients, and family members should be encouraged to reach out to their local representative using the contact details listed below:
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| State Ombudsman Phone Number: | (603) 271-4375 |
| State Ombudsman Email Address: | Ombudsman@dhhs.nh.gov |
| State Ombudsman Mailing Address: | Brown Building
129 Pleasant Street Concord, NH 03301 |
| State Ombudsman Website: | https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/about-dhhs/long-term-care-ombudsman |
Discover More Ways to Improve Care Quality
It can be challenging to find new and innovative ways to optimize patient safety and health outcomes. By partnering with a state ombudsman, New Hampshire healthcare facilities can ensure their patients receive the best possible care. Follow us for additional healthcare tips and insights to help boost patient satisfaction and improve regulatory compliance.