More Than 90% of Nursing Homes Cited For Violations Last Year

By Aaron Poehler

Published on September 30, 2008

According to a report issued yesterday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over 90 percent of American nursing homes were cited for violations of federal health and safety standards in 2007.

The report authored by Daniel Levinson, inspector general of the Department, additionally stated that approximately 17 percent of nursing homes had violations that placed patients at risk of harm or in jeopardy. By category, 94 percent of for-profit nursing homes surveyed were cited for violations of federal standards, while 88 percent of not-for- profit nursing homes and 91 percent of government nursing homes were cited. Approximately two-thirds of American nursing homes are operated for profit, while just over one quarter are run by nonprofit organizations and 6 percent are operated by U.S. government organizations.

Among the common violations cited were improper storage and distribution of food, poor nutrition, medication mix-ups and errors, accident hazards, infected bedsores, lack of services necessary for residents' well-being, and abuse and neglect of patients. Additionally, many cases were identified in which homes billed Medicare and Medicaid for services that were not actually provided, or were provided in such a manner as to effectively amount to no care at all.

In response, American Health Care Association president Bruce A. Yarwood acknowledged that many nursing homes need to do a better job caring for their patients and specifically identified the inspection system as being unreliable and ineffective.

 

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