Nursing Home Enforcement Increasing in Pennsylvania

Over the last several months, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has been ramping up enforcement actions for nursing homes.

Records show a jump from 18 penalties in 2014 to 108 penalties so far in 2017. Among the facilities issued penalties over the years are six Lancaster County nursing homes, which had fines totaling $63,650. The total fines issued statewide so far in 2017 are $774,750.

The department says the goal of increased enforcement and stronger use of penalties is to ensure that nursing homes are safe and to correct problems. However, nursing home industry leaders say that the approach can be counterproductive and argue that fines make things worse, not better, for residents.

Most of the Lancaster nursing home penalties were issued for incidents involving inadequate supervision resulting in harm to residents, including at least 2 deaths. “Sometimes sanctions are necessary to make sure that changes are being enacted,” said April Hutcheson, spokeswoman for the PA Department of Health.

The increased penalties are largely due to more frequent nursing home inspections. In 2015, the state filed a lawsuit accusing a nursing home chain of inadequate staffing and substandard care, which sparked the creation of a Nursing Home Quality Improvement Task Force. Inspectors are now visiting nursing homes more often, resulting in discovery of violations.

In addition to the fines imposed by state regulators, nursing homes can be subject to federal fines, which have also been increasing.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of negligent nursing home care, it's important to seek out the help of a skilled attorney in Pennsylvania. The lawyers at Metzger Wickersham are familiar with cases involving nursing home neglect and abuse. Our team is backed by extensive resources and decades of collective legal experience.

Call us at (888) 286-2850 or fill out our online form to schedule your free case evaluation today.

Source: lancasteronline.com

Categories
    Kept me up to date on everything

    “They kept me up to date on everything that was goin on with my case. Answered all my questions.”

    - Lori D.
    Helps you to the fullest

    “Very courtesy and understanding and helps you to the fullest therefore you anytime of the day to talk to you and answer your questions and I will use them again.”

    - Cindy R.
    Thank you Zack Campbell!

    “Very happy with our experience would highly recommend them Thank you Zack Campbell”

    - Diana B.
    Had a great experience with these awesome people

    “Had a great experience with these awesome people. Their job was done promoting well and they got me way more than I could have imagined. I would Highly recommend.”

    - Michael C.
    Great Attorneys!

    “Great Attorneys”

    - David S.
    Always courteous and kept me informed and up to date on the whole process

    “My experience with M&W was made very painless by [Attorney] Lori & [Paralegal] Judy from the Hbg office!”

    - Kenneth W.
    I would recommend these people to anyone.

    “The lawyers at this office and their staff, Mr. [Attorney] DeVere and [Paralegal] Stephanie, his assistant, became the voice I didn’t have after the accident. They were my points of light.”

    - Ms. D. Lopez
    I would recommend Metzger Wickersham to everyone.

    “You guys were so easy to work with. There was no stress and the whole process was done in a timely manner. I would recommend Metzger Wickersham to everyone. Such a pleasure.”

    - Sharon B.
    You guys are absolutely amazing and that’s an understatement.

    “Attorney Painter was simply amazing...My wife had been fighting SSI for over three years. Since working with Metzger Wickersham her stress and anxiety levels were 100% gone.”

    - Carlos B.
    Outstanding in every way

    “Outstanding in every way no one has ever helped me more in my entire life like this firm. I highly recommend. Thank you very much.”

    - Gary K.

Let Us Fight For You

Request a Free Consultation
  • Please enter your first name.
  • Please enter your last name.
  • Please enter your phone number.
    This isn't a valid phone number.
  • Please enter your email address.
    This isn't a valid email address.
  • Please make a selection.
  • Please enter a message.