(a)  The program shall maintain a record of enforcement actions reported to the program, pursuant to Section 1416.12. The program shall routinely review the citation logs and files of nursing home administrators whose facilities have received citations from the department to determine if remedial or disciplinary action against the administrator is warranted based on the administrator’s involvement or culpability in the citations. Regardless of the facility’s performance record, the program may initiate disciplinary action against an administrator who violates any statute or regulation governing licensed nursing home administrators.

(b)  Following receipt of reports on temporary suspension orders, service of an accusation for facility license revocations, or final decertification of a facility from participation in the Medi-Cal or Medicare programs, due to failure to meet certification standards, the program shall make a determination as to whether the evidence available warrants remedial or disciplinary action against the administrator or constitutes grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation pursuant to Section 1416.76.

(c)  If the program determines that action against the administrator is not warranted, the program shall document in the file the reasons and specific circumstances for not taking remedial or disciplinary action against the administrator’s license.

(d)  The program shall consider all of the following prior to making a determination to initiate disciplinary action:

(1)  Any information provided to the program by the administrator pursuant to this section.

(2)  Whether the administrator was in fact the designated administrator of the facility when the violation occurred, or the designated administrator of the facility during the period of time the citation covered.

(3)  Whether the administrator should have or could have prevented the violation or violations that occurred.

(e)  Prior to making a final determination to initiate action against an administrator, the program shall notify the administrator that the program is considering action and provide the administrator with an opportunity to show just cause why remedial or disciplinary action should not be initiated.

(f)  If the program determines that grounds for remedial or disciplinary action exist, the program may initiate either or both of the following actions, as warranted:

(1)  Remedial action, including, but not limited to, a conference with the administrator, a letter of warning, or both.

(2)  Disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, citations, fines, formal letters of reprimand, probation, denial, suspension, revocation of the administrator’s license, or any combination of these actions.

(Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 687, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2002.)