Massachusetts DPH Officials Order Correction Plan from Nursing Home
After three state inspections in July, August, and December 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) substantiated the complaints of alleged wide-spread physical and verbal abuse received from residents of a nursing home and published the findings in recently released reports. Consequently, state officials ordered the nursing home to submit a plan of correction to address the abuse issues. The results of the inspections were also made public on the Nursing Home Compare federal website.
Inspectors reported that the nursing home failed to investigate and report the residents’ complaints as state and federal regulations require. The nursing home inspectors noted a number of allegations about poor treatment of residents by staff and several instances of deficiencies in the provision of care.
Allegations noted in the inspection reports included these incidents:
- A resident reported being choked for taking extra packages of cookies off a cart, but no action was taken because the nurse did not believe the resident.
- Video footage reviewed by the inspectors showed an aide dragging a resident into a room and then abandoning the resident.
- A resident claimed and reported that an aide had grabbed and nearly broken her hand.
- A claim was made that a staff member yelled “get the [expletive deleted] out of my way while I make my tea.”
- One inspector reported seeing a resident in a wheelchair moaning in pain with a bleeding wound on his thigh that was without a dressing.
The nursing home had a one-star overall rating by Nursing Home Compare. However, the current administrator reports that the facility now has a three-star rating in both staffing and quality of care from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that operates the rating system.
Compliance Perspective
Failing to investigate, report, and correct substantiated incidents reported by residents, family members, or staff members involving physical and verbal abuse may be considered provision of substandard quality of care and result in a violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures regarding investigation of reported incidents, correcting substantiated claims, and submitting required reports according to state and federal requirements.
- Train staff about the policies and procedures forbidding physical and verbal abuse and the importance of staff members reporting any incident to their supervisor or through the Hotline.
- Periodically audit by reviewing complaints reported by residents and staff to determine if they are being properly investigated and reported as required by state and federal regulations.
