What Is a Healthcare Ombudsman? North Dakota Guide for Facilities

Living in a residential care facility can be difficult for many elderly individuals. Being separated from friends, family members, and community connections makes them especially vulnerable to loneliness, isolation, and neglect. Healthcare facility leaders can mitigate these risks by partnering with their state’s long-term care ombudsman.

North Dakota ombudsmen work to ensure elderly individuals receive the compassion and respect they deserve. They do this by partnering with clinical staff, patients, family members, and government representatives to optimize care quality and boost wellness in health centers across the state.

In this article, we introduce the North Dakota Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, list duties and responsibilities of these advocates, and provide tips for facilities looking to collaborate with ombudsmen and help their residents live their lives to the fullest.

What Is the North Dakota Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program?

The Older Americans Act (OAA) establishes protections for senior citizens across the U.S. and ensures they have access to community resources like public transportation, hot meals, financial support, and healthcare. The federal Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP), enacted under the OAA, provides additional protection for elderly individuals living in care facilities like:

• Nursing homes
• Assisted living facilities
• Hospice centers
• Adult day care
• Board and care homes

The LTCOP requires each state to develop an advocacy and oversight program to regulate care quality and ensure minimum standards are met. North Dakota employees and volunteers called ombudsmen are trained to empower and assist elderly residents in getting the quality care they deserve.

What Is the Role of a North Dakota Ombudsman?

North Dakota ombudsmen aren’t clinical providers and don’t provide direct patient care. Instead, they serve elderly individuals by:

• Assisting with complaints like abuse, neglect, improper discharge planning, quality and choice of food, and poor medication distribution.
• Educating healthcare residents, their families, and care teams about the services and resources available to them.
• Providing information about legal rights and policy changes to patients and facilities, suggesting changes to government agencies when appropriate.
• Serving as a liaison for patients and their families to address grievances and identify possible solutions.
• Directing individuals with specific North Dakota nursing home license inquiries to the appropriate resource or representative.
• Helping patients and their families choose a healthcare facility that meets their needs.
• Collaborating with political representatives to develop North Dakota nursing home regulations and other healthcare policies.

By proactively intervening and sharing information about care home and community based services, North Dakota ombudsmen can help individuals get the support they need before more significant issues arise.

How Can Facilities Prepare for Visits From a State Ombudsman?

As part of their oversight duties, ombudsmen are required to complete annual assessments of every residential care facility in the state. In addition to these scheduled visits, they are also required to perform on-site follow-ups after receiving care complaints from a patient or family member.

North Dakota clinicians who aren’t familiar with the role of ombudsmen may incorrectly assume that these site visits and inspections are meant to be punitive. It’s important to remind them that ombudsman involvement is meant to help staff as well as patients. While they primarily serve patient needs, these advocates are also trained to assist clinical staff in enhancing care quality.

How can facility leaders make the process less daunting? These tips can help you prepare for ombudsman site visits and get the most out of the partnership.

1. Provide Staff Training on the North Dakota Health Ombudsman Program

Educating your team on the role of ombudsmen can help them prepare for site visits. You can disseminate program information by:

• Developing a state ombudsman training module.
• Displaying ombudsman brochures and infographics around facility common areas.
• Encouraging employees to familiarize themselves with hospital policies, the North Dakota Nurse Practice Act, and CMS rules and regulations.

2. Solicit Patient Experience Feedback to Optimize Care Quality

Encouraging staff, patients, and their families to share ideas on how to improve patient care can help you address care concerns while increasing patient engagement and satisfaction scores. The first step to making this work is by asking all parties how they prefer to give and receive feedback. Then, provide options that appeal to them the most.

You can choose to distribute emailed surveys, host family council meetings, or create anonymous suggestion boxes to help them share their concerns. Showing that you prioritize improving care quality over cutting costs can help you build loyalty.

3. Distribute Ombudsman Contact Information

It’s important that clinical staff, patients, and their family members feel like they’re part of the same team. Sharing state ombudsman contact information can build trust and promote collaboration among all vested parties. Start by posting the following ombudsman (North Dakota) phone number, email, mailing address, and website information for easy reference:

Be sure to educate patients and their family members about ombudsman resources and encourage them to reach out directly to the ombudsman office with any additional questions or concerns.

Find More Ways to Boost Patient Wellness

By partnering with their health ombudsman, North Dakota long-term care facilities can improve patient wellness, satisfaction, and trust. Follow our free newsletter for additional tips and strategies to keep your staff functioning at their best.