90% of Nursing Homes cited for health, safety violations

KFF Health News reported on a chilling report by the HHS Office of Inspector General reveals that more than 90% of U.S. nursing homes were cited for federal health and safety violations in 2007.

In light of the report, the Inspector General Daniel Levinson himself wrote that some facilities “have systematically failed to provide staff in sufficient numbers and with appropriate clinical expertise to serve their residents.” Moreover, he stated that many nursing homes were audaciously charging Medicare and Medicaid for services that were either “not provided or were so wholly deficient that they amounted to no care at all.”

Overall, a whopping 17% of nursing homes had violations that caused “actual harm or immediate jeopardy” to residents at the time of this report.

The most common violations found were related to quality-of-care measures, such as treatment and prevention of bedsores and urinary tract infections. Quality of life issues were another problem, with 43% of facilities cited for concerns with dietary services. Worse, of all 37,150 complaints the inspectors received from nursing homes, about 20% involved patient abuse or neglect.

Although the numbers were relatively close, for-profit nursing homes took the cake for the most deficiencies per facility, averaging 7.6 per home. Meanwhile, not-for-profit and government homes averaged 5.7 and 6.3, respectively. It is curious how the incentive for CEOs to accumulate profit doesn’t lead to higher quality of care in care facilities…perhaps it’s time nursing home CEOs are held accountable for the kind of care their companies are providing.

Unfortunately, anyone with experience in nursing homes is likely not shocked by these findings. It is remarkable how much harm and neglect nursing homes today can get away with today. However, it is at least heartening to see reports finally uncovering the hidden truth of nursing homes and to see such reports receive more time in the media, so that one day, facilities may be forced to change their negligent ways.