Days after the Chicago Tribune ran an investigative piece on Berwyn Rehabilitation Center, a new inspection report was released by the Illinois Department of Health demonstrating that the facility has a long way to go to improve conditions at the facility. In an unannounced visit to the facility, state inspectors found six violations relating to nursing home care. Among the conditions discovered by inspectors and cited in their report:
- A resident with "a long reddened area" on the right cheek who received no attention from the staff four hours after a nursing home inspector brought the condition to the staff’s attention
- The staff failed to inspect and treat open wounds. Inspectors noted a large sore on the side of a woman’s mouth with dried blood, yet there was no intervention by the staff.
- Faulty equipment. For 10 days a mechanical lift used to transport residents from their beds was not working. Consequently, residents sat in their beds without being moved or showers for up to 10 days.
- Improper administration of medication. There were reports of the staff failing to provide pain medication as ordered by physicians and failing to timely administer medication.
A quick glance at the just the number of citations issued to Berwyn Rehabilitation Center, may appear as though the facility is making significant improvements. Compared to a similar unannounced visit last year, when the facility had 29 violations– six violations this time around seems pretty good. The reality is that the violations against this facility are not minor. The violations indicate the staff at this facility is still not focused on correcting potentially dangerous conditions. Any of the above conditions cited to in the inspectors’ reports could prove life threatening if left unremedied.
Berwyn Rehabilitation Center is a for-profit nursing home located at 3601 South Harlem Avenue. The Centers for Medicare have rated the facility one-star out of a possible five. The facility is owned by Eric Rothner, a manager of Berwyn Rehabilitation, LLC.
Related News Article On Berwyn Rehabilitation Center
New Violations Alleged At Troubled Berwyn Nursing Home, Chicago Tribune, February 10, 2009
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