Healthcare Compliance Perspective:
Providing patients with services that do not meet professionally recognized standards, including poor quality of care due to exposure to a deadly bacteria infested water source, can result in a false claim.
Last week, a problematic health and rehabilitation center received a blow when some test results on its water revealed the presence of the deadly Legionella bacteria. This is the second building in this healthcare facility whose water tests were found to have the bacteria. The bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease and is particularly dangerous to residents living in healthcare facilities because so many of them are already fragile and ill.
Although the facility took action and imposed water restrictions on the first building last week, two residents had already been diagnosed with Legionnaires’-one in July and the other last March. Both of these residents are fortunately improving. However, there is significant risk for the other
residents. Statistically, one of 10 persons who contact Legionnaires’ die and this does not bode well for nursing home residents.
Legionnaires’ tends to flourish and spread widely in healthcare facilities that have large plumbing systems providing showers, faucets, hot tubs and air conditioning. The nursing home is attempting to prevent the spread of the bacteria by installing shower head and faucet filters and providing bottled water to the residents. The facility has a plan underway to install a water filtering system that will supply both buildings in the facility.
The nursing home was supposed to notify the state Health Department when water tests indicated that 30 percent or more of the water in the test is positive for Legionella bacteria. They failed to do that when it was discovered earlier this summer. This latest finding exacerbates an already compliance-compromised situation for the nursing home.
