What Is a Healthcare Ombudsman? Nevada Guide for Facilities

In 1972, Congress created the national Long-Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman Program to address public concerns surrounding the mistreatment of nursing home residents. Under this program, each state is required to protect the rights of older adults through the services of a health ombudsman. Nevada in particular has established a multifaceted program that preserves the health and safety of residents while educating facilities on how to improve their care.

As an LTC facility leader, it’s in your best interests to utilize your local ombudsman office as a resource to enhance your care services. To help you to get the most out of it, we’ll walk you through what an LTC ombudsman does and how to prepare for potential interactions with one.

What Is the Nevada Ombudsman Program?

Authorized by the Older Americans’ Act, Nevada’s LTC ombudsman program was established to improve the quality of care delivered to LTC residents. The state’s office trains a variety of staff and volunteers who resolve issues at nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout the state. There is no cost for the services provided by an ombudsman. Nevada’s office also keeps all filed complaints and reports strictly confidential.

Beyond long-term care, Nevada oversees several other social service-related ombudsman offices. As an LTC facility leader, you’ll most likely be interacting with the long-term care ombudsman. However, you can find more information about these additional offices on the Legislative Council’s website.

What Does an LTC Ombudsman Do?

The general definition of an ombudsman is someone who investigates and resolves complaints made by individuals against organizations. Within the context of long-term care, this involves any complaints that patients, their families, or other concerned parties make about a facility. The LTC ombudsman will conduct an investigation only after receiving the consent of the person who files a complaint. Then, they’ll work with this individual to ensure pertinent issues are resolved to their satisfaction.

Beyond addressing filed complaints, there are many other duties carried out by an ombudsman. Nevada’s program also trains staff and volunteers to:

• Carry out quarterly visits to LTC facilities to monitor quality of care.
• Assist residents with general concerns related to health, safety, and personal needs.
• Provide information about Nevada’s LTC services to the general public.
• Educate residents, families, and facility staff on aging, LTC, and resident rights.
• Conduct in-service training for LTC professionals on best practices for resident care.

Who Can Seek Help From an Ombudsman?

While Nevada’s ombudsmen are primarily trained to investigate and resolve complaints of LTC residents, they’ll help anyone who’s concerned about the rights of older adults. This includes LTC staff, facility leaders, and other individuals residing in Nevada who are experiencing LTC-related issues. Examples of people who may want to contact their ombudsman include:

• Residents who are having trouble accessing LTC services that they need.
• Residents or families who have general questions about their rights.
• Residents or families who want to learn about LTC care services in their county.
• LTC providers who are concerned about their facility’s rules and regulations.
• Facility leaders who want to request in-training for their staff members.

If you’d like to speak with your LTC ombudsman, Nevada contact information can be found on the ombudsman office’s webpage. You can call the office directly or fill out an online form to file questions or complaints.

Tips for Facilities Undergoing Investigations

While your ombudsman is always available to answer any questions or concerns you have about your services, they’ll need to conduct a more formal investigation if someone files a complaint about your facility. This may feel like a daunting situation, but keep in mind that an ombudsman is trained to find a fair resolution for both you and your residents.

This is why it’s important to remain cooperative and help your ombudsman resolve any potential issues. Follow these tips to help ensure the investigation goes as smoothly as possible:

• Communicate: The ombudsman will likely ask you some questions to clarify the situation at hand. Be as transparent as possible to ensure that they’re equipped with accurate information to resolve the case fairly.

• Collaborate: Remember that your ombudsman would rather work with you than against you. If your ombudsman invites you to discuss strategies to improve your services, engage with them to find solutions that work for everyone involved.

• Comply: If the ombudsman identifies an issue, this is your chance to improve the quality of your care services. Act on any advice from your ombudsman in a timely manner to ensure similar issues don’t happen in the future.

Discover More Ways to Improve Quality of Care for Residents

Looking for practical ways to implement care strategies that you discussed with your ombudsman? Nevada facility leaders can count on us for actionable insights and industry trends. Our team of experts offers dozens of free guides on care compliance and delivery — available whenever you need them.