No nursing home is ever completely perfect, but there is a certain standard of care that must be maintained in order for a facility to receive public funds. Inspectors regularly go to nursing homes to find out if they are meeting the standard of care. If not, they let them know what went wrong, what they must fix, and if necessary fine or shut down the facility.
A consumer group called the Coalition of Quality Care decided to analyze the reports over the last three years and see if there were any repeat offenders that were just papering over mistakes year after year. It turns out that, by their analysis, 44% of nursing homes were permitted to take in new patients and receive funds despite repeated violations.
The article doesn’t say what sorts of violations they found, but any nursing home violation can be a signal that abuse or neglect is happening. Repeated violations like this could be a troublesome sign that something is seriously wrong with our inspection system and our long term care facilities.
If you feel that something is a violation, speak up about it. File a formal complaint. If you feel it is bad enough, contact a malpractice attorney to see if a lawsuit may be in the best interest of you and your loved ones. Call Schenk Smith Trial Attorneys for a free consultation.
