What Is a Healthcare Ombudsman? West Virginia Guide for Facilities
In 1972, Congress amended the Older Americans Act and established the national Long-Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman Program to help improve conditions in U.S. nursing homes. This program requires each state to protect the health, safety, and welfare of LTC residents using a health ombudsman. West Virginia (WV) has extended its program beyond long-term care, offering services for mental health and foster care as well.
If you’re an LTC facility leader, you can work with an ombudsman to improve the quality of your services. To guide you through this process, we’ll walk you through what a WV ombudsman does and how to prepare for potential interactions with one.
What Is the West Virginia Ombudsman Program?
While most state ombudsman programs focus on long-term care, West Virginia has multiple ombudsman programs that help resolve issues in different health and social service areas. Depending on what type of healthcare facility you’re running, you may be interacting with one of the following WV ombudsman office branches:
- Long-Term Care Ombudsman: Protects the rights of residents, and their families, in long-term care settings
- Mental Health Ombudsman: Protects the rights of patients receiving care in mental health facilities or behavioral health programs
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is overseen by the Bureau of Senior Services. The Mental Health Ombudsman Program is overseen by the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR).
What Does an LTC Ombudsman Do?
An ombudsman is more generally defined as someone who objectively investigates and resolves complaints made by individuals against organizations. In healthcare, this involves the concerns that patients, residents, families, staff, or other concerned parties have about the way facilities are delivering services.
However, there are many other responsibilities of an ombudsman. West Virginia’s offices each focus on a different health or social service area, but all ombudsmen are generally trained to:
- Receive, investigate, and address complaints against facilities or programs.
- Educate individuals, patients, and residents about their healthcare rights.
- Identify issues in health or social services and advocate for better policies.
- Assist and provide information to individuals seeking healthcare or social services.
- Help healthcare/service staff and leaders improve the quality of their services.
Who Can Seek Help From a West Virginia Ombudsman?
While ombudsmen primarily focus on protecting the rights of residents and patients, anyone in the community who needs help with LTC or mental health services can reach out to their respective ombudsman. West Virginia residents may want to reach out to an office if they:
- Need help finding LTC or mental health services and programs.
- Feel that they or a loved one has been mistreated by a healthcare/service provider.
- Require guidance or resources that help improve care compliance at their facility.
- Have concerns about the way a healthcare facility or program is being managed.
Who Is Your Ombudsman? WV Phone Number and Contact Information
The ombudsman you should contact will depend on the health or service-related area that you have questions about. We’ve outlined the contact information for the long-term care and mental health ombudsman offices in the tables below. WV DHHR complaints can also be submitted online via the mental health ombudsman complaint form.
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| Phone Number | (800) 834-0598 |
| Address | 165 Scott Ave., Ste 209 Morgantown, WV 26508 |
| ehopple@lawv.net | |
| Website | https://legalaidwv.org/our-programs/long-term-care/ |
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| Phone Number | (304) 558-2159 |
| Address | State Capitol Complex, Building 6, Room 817, Charleston, WV 25305 |
| OIGMHO@wv.gov | |
| Website | https://www.wvdhhr.org/oig/mho.html |
Tips for Facilities Undergoing Investigations
If an ombudsman has received a complaint about your facility, you may be preparing to undergo an investigation. This may feel stressful, but keep in mind that your ombudsman is trained to find a fair resolution for both you and your residents/patients. They would rather work with you than against you, so it’s in your best interests to help the investigation go as smoothly as possible. Facilitate the work of your ombudsman by taking the following steps:
- Communicate: Your ombudsman will need to ask you and your staff questions to get clarity on the issue at hand. Be as honest and open as possible to ensure that they have all the information they need to resolve the case fairly.
- Collaborate: If your ombudsman invites you to discuss ways to address the issue, engage with them respectfully. Collaborating with your ombudsman will allow them to find a feasible solution that works for both you and your resident.
- Comply: If the ombudsman gives you helpful advice on how to improve your care services, seize this opportunity. Act on their advice in a timely manner to ensure that the issue is addressed and doesn’t happen again.
Are You Equipped to Meet Standards of Care?
Want to prevent the need for investigations by an ombudsman? West Virginia facility leaders can learn more through IntelyCare’s free newsletter. We offer dozens of expert-written tips on supporting your staff and patients so that you can meet the highest standards of care.