Illinois Nursing Home Improves Patient Care and is Removed from Federal Watch List of Substandard Care Facilities
Federal and Illinois litigators have removed a Forest Park nursing home off a Federal Watch List of the worst residential care facilities in the United States. The decision to remove Berkshire Nursing and Rehab from the list of over 100 substandard care facilities comes after a series of inspections showed improvement in resident care at the home.
The list, which is put together by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, tries to identify long-term care facilities that have an inconsistent history of compliance. In order to “qualify” for “special focus facility” status, a facility must show a history of serious problems, such as nursing home abuse or neglect, over at least a three-year period. A nursing home that is placed on the list will be subject to more inspections. If problems continue to arise, enforcement efforts become more rigorous.
The Berkshire Nursing and Rehab, located on Roosevelt Road, was on the list for as a “special focus facility” for 39 months. Prior to coming under new ownership, the nursing home was called the Pavilion of Forest Park. The home’s current lead administrator and co-owner, David Berkowitz, says patient care improved after he turned over many staff posts, hired several new department heads, and implemented new training methods.
According to the Centers for Medical and Medicaid Services, nursing homes that are no longer listed as “special focus facilities” will have exhibited a significant improvement for about a year. However, the organization is quick to caution that just because a facility is no longer on this list does not mean that all issues have been resolved.
Unfortunately nursing home abuse and neglect continues to be a problem in many US nursing homes. Many times, victims of nursing home abuse and neglect are too frail or sick to report that they are being mistreated or not getting the proper care that they need.
Berkshire Nursing removed from federal watch list, Forest Park Review, November 4, 2008
Lawsuit is first for nursing home's new management, Forest Park Review, May 27, 2008
Related Web Resources:
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The Chicago nursing home abuse law firm of Steven J. Mailman & Associates PC is dedicated to helping families of nursing home abuse victims recover compensation for the harm they have suffered. Your first consultation with us is free.
