A recent study of nursing homes revealed that levels of nursing home neglect and abuse did not increase when the nursing home was purchased by private equity groups. In a study published in the September/October issue of the journal Health Affairs, researchers from Harvard University looked at the quality of care both before and after the nursing homes were purchased by private investors, and found that the level of care did not significantly suffer.
The researchers’ findings fly in the face of a number of concerns that were voiced about the quality of care at private investment-owned homes last year. The concerns were voiced after residents at some of the chains suffered from inadequate care while the investors raked in record profits. In one home purchased by an investment firm, 15 residents at a 150-bed facility died of negligent care in three years. Regulators inspecting the home found that staff levels were below minimums required by law, equipment was broken, and conditions were unhygienic.
According to the Harvard University article, although investor-owned homes suffered in some categories, like the number of residents per registered nurse, other factors, such as pressure ulcers and UTIs improved. One of the researchers says, “After taking facility and market trends into account, we did not find a substantial drop in the quality of care delivered in these nursing homes overall.”
One thing that has changed is the level of recourse patients and their families have if they do suffer inadequate care at a privately-owned nursing home. As a result of corporate restructuring, one of the first acts undertaken by a new facility owner, sometimes a family who loses a loved one as a result of negligent care faces five levels of front companies that protect the investors from lawsuits. This allows those taking the profit from negligent care to avoid paying the price for its consequences.
If you have lost a loved one as a result of nursing home abuse or negligence in Phoenix, Arizona, contact the experienced nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers at Snyder & Wenner, P.C. today for a free initial consultation and case evaluation.
