North Carolina Administrative Code
Title 10A - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Chapter 13 - NC MEDICAL CARE COMMISSION
Subchapter D - RULES FOR THE LICENSING OF NURSING HOMES
Section .2500 - PHYSICIAN'S SERVICES
Section 13D .2505 - BRAIN INJURY LONG TERM CARE PHYSICIAN SERVICES

(a) For facility patients located in designated brain injury long-term care units, there shall be an attending physician who is responsible for the patient's specialized care program. The intensity of the program requires that there shall be direct patient contact by a physician at least once per week and more often as the patient's condition warrants. Each patient's interdisciplinary, rehabilitation program shall be developed and implemented under the supervision of a physiatrist (a physician trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation) or a physician of equivalent training and experience.

(b) If a physiatrist or physician of equivalent training or experience is not available on a weekly basis to the facility, the facility shall provide for weekly medical management of the patient by another physician. In addition, oversight for the patient's interdisciplinary, long-term care program shall be provided by a qualified consultant physician who visits patients monthly, makes recommendations for and approves the interdisciplinary care plan, and provides consultation as requested to the physician who is managing the patient on a weekly basis.

(c) The attending physician shall actively participate in individual case conference or care planning sessions and shall review and sign discharge summaries and records within 15 days of a patient discharge. When patients are to be discharged to either another health care facility or a residential setting, the attending physician shall ensure that the patient has been provided with a discharge plan which incorporates optimum utilization of community resources and post discharge continuity of care and services.