Many elderly and disabled Eugene residents are in a position in which they must rely on the competence of their caregivers for their daily medical needs. Unfortunately, this reliance often means that these patients are more susceptible to nursing home errors and hospital negligence. It is important that these medical mistakes be taken seriously due to the dire consequences that can result.
It is for these reasons that readers of our Oregon medical malpractice blog may be interested to learn of a new nursing home resource. A website built by a non-profit organization called ProPublica shows all government inspection reports for nursing homes by state. The website complies a list of all fines and violations going back three years, and allows the user to easily compare facilities. It also has a five-star rating system.
Several facilities in Oregon stood out as having the most serious deficiencies and quality issues. The facility with the highest amount of fines is the Nehalem Valley Care Center. Over the past three years, it has been fined $17,875. The Milwaukie Convalescent Center has been issued the largest amount of deficiencies from government inspection reports. However, the most serious deficiencies were reported at West Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center. The site has flagged the facility as having a history of quality issues.
The site provides an excellent resource for families searching for nursing homes fit for their loved ones. However, nursing home errors happen at even the best facilities. Due to the physical condition of patients in nursing homes, even the smallest of errors can have fatal consequences. Victims of nursing home errors or neglect can rest assured that they are not without recourse. In many cases, it may be possible to file a lawsuit against the parties responsible for the nursing home error and any resulting injuries.
Source: KATU, “Looking for a nursing home? Make sure to do your research,” Shellie Bailey-Shah, Feb. 16, 2013