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Lawmakers to Focus on Nursing Home Deaths

September 16th, 2017 by Mike Vasilinda

State lawmakers will consider major changes to nursing home regulations in the state following the deaths of 8 residents in Irma’s aftermath. As Mike Vasilinda tells us,  The Rehabilitation Center of Hollywood Hills is also pushing back against charges it negligently let the patients die.

As patients were dying in South Florida, Both the Governor and Bryan Koon, the top emergency manager,  were fielding questions about nursing home safety.

Q:”The nursing homes are running our of fuel, some them may not have generators in    the first place. What’s the progress there?” Koon was asked Tuesday.

“Well, Multiple fronts. trying to get the regular power back up online” responded Koon.

“We’re talking to all of our nursing homes, our ALF’s because you know they trying to make sure they have the power to take care of their citizens” Scott told reporters minutes later.

 

 

Now, The center were 8 deaths occurred has released a timeline of calls to state officials asking for help. They  began at 5:34 Monday afternoon. the first call went to the number Governor Rick Scott was publicizing.

“We have a hotline here. It’s 1-800-342-3557. Call us.” Scott said Tuesday.

By 10 Pm Monday the center says five more calls were made for help.

State Senator Anitere Florida chairs the Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee

 

“There is no reason what so ever those individuals should have been in a home that hot for that many days. It’s..there’s no need for it” said Flores, who also said there was a 100 percent chance nursing home changes would be taken up by lawmakers.

Legislation requiring generators at adult living facilities and nursing homes has submitted to bill drafting. The next step will be to file it.

Kristen Knapp of the state’s nursing home association says it tirelessly advocated help for its members before and after the storm.

“And the home in question is not a member?”

“It was not a member of the Florida Health Care Association. That’s correct.”

“And so, you would not be advocating or they would not be calling you?”

“We did not have communication with them.”

After the investigations, there will likely be plenty of blame for everyone.

The Emergency Operations Center Public Information Office tells us it does not specifically track which calls come in at the hotline number, which is where the Rehabilitation Center made its first call Monday afternoon.

 

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