Quality of Care A bipartisan group on the Senate Finance Committee conducted hearings on the nursing home industry’s deadly incompetence. Approximately 185,000 residents and caregivers in nursing homes died because of poor infection control throughout the pandemic. The hearing noted significant deficiencies in nursing home safety and emergency preparedness standards. Here is a link to the
Hiding Profits Experts recently met to discuss potential solutions and regulations for the nursing home industry. Experts and consumer advocates want to increase transparency, quality, and accountability in the industry. The journal Health Affairs published the discussion. Profit margin and diversion of funds to related entities were major topics. Corporate chains often siphon funds to
Unsafe Discharges Skilled Nursing News reported that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) will investigate wrongful evictions and unsafe discharges. OIG’s formal work plan includes a probe into unplanned discharges. “A facility-initiated transfer or discharge of a resident from a nursing home can be an unsafe and
The New York Times had an interesting article about the emergence of nursing homes replacing hospitals in providing basic medical care. Certain procedures and treatments require hospital admission, of course. But “the push is to reduce unnecessary hospitalization for things that can be handled in skilled nursing facilities,” said David Siskind, the medical director at
Kenny Malone at NPR had a great article on the suspicious deaths at care homes in Florida. “In Florida, state regulators are failing to protect residents of assisted living facilities, according to an investigation by The Miami Herald and NPR member station WLRN.” Their analysis of records discovered dozens of questionable deaths in assisted living facilities.
The AP had an article about the federal program that identifies problem nursing homes. The program brings extra scrutiny to poorly performing nursing homes but leaves out hundreds of troubled facilities, investigators report. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services identifies up to 136 nursing homes as “special focus facilities” subject to more frequent inspections because of
Recent Comments