Personal Injury Law

Clinton nursing home cited by state

By Barry Doyle

A nursing home in Clinton has recently been cited, and had its director removed, after an inspection by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

According to Pantagraph.com,

Manor Court of Clinton, a skilled care facility, was found by Public Health to not be in compliance with several federal regulations, said Public Health spokeswoman Melaney Arnold. The department recommended to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services a daily fine of $400 until Manor Court is back in compliance, she said Friday.

Public Health's Manor Court report detailed deficiencies, including incidents of failure to maintain hot water, failure to relieve pressure sores, failure to prevent a fall, failure to administer and monitor some residents' medications and insufficient nursing staffing.

The investigation was requested by the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, which had filed multiple complaints directly to Manor Court, before going to the Department of Health with its concerns.

This seems to be a case where an ounce of prevention would have been equal to a pound of cure. All of the deficiencies cited by the Department of Public Health, such as the failure to relieve pressure sores or administer medications, could have been easily fixed by hiring more qualified staff members, which was another issue where the nursing home was cited.

There is no sense in cutting corners, especially when the wellbeing of our elderly loved ones is at stake. Not only is it bad for the reputation of your business, but it's illegal, and the law is in place for a reason. It is a shame that this nursing home had to learn that lesson the hard way.

Full post as published by Cook County Personal Injury Lawyer on April 09, 2010 (boomark / email).