From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette January 24, 2016
Six months after the Pennsylvania Department of Health faced new scrutiny and criticism over its enforcement of quality care in nursing homes, data show it has quietly been increasing the penalties assessed to substandard operators. The number of fines and provisional licenses for regulation violations among the 700 nursing homes more than tripled in the second half of 2015 from the first six months of the year, according to figures provided by the department. The combination of 52 fines and licensing actions last year were the most in the state since 2009. The jump in punishment comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed in July by the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office against a national nursing home chain operating 36 facilities in Pennsylvania. The suit alleging a range of problems at the Golden Living Center homes, including two in Monroeville and Mt. Lebanon, did not directly accuse the health department of failing to do its job, but it noted inspectors had identified numerous flaws in patient care that failed to result in penalties. A June report released by Community Legal Services of Philadelphia had been more pointed, highlighting the lack of enforcement actions in recent years while accusing the state of failing to properly investigate complaints or label substandard conditions as a serious violation of regulations.
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Call the experienced attorneys at Liever, Hyman & Potter if you or a family member was injured in a Nursing Home. Consultation is free. We can obtain the records for you if we investigate the case.
By Michael W. McGuckin, Esquire; Attorney for the Reading, Pennsylvania Personal Injury Law Firm of Liever, Hyman & Potter, P. C. which limits their practice to Medical Malpractice, Nursing Home neglect, car, truck, motorcycle accidents, Wrongful death cases, premises liability, and work injuries. Serving Berks, Schuylkill and surrounding counties for over 50 years.