In Washington D.C. emergency room physicians are are reporting nursing home neglect to authorities in increasing numbers. Nursing home residents are being presented to Washington D.C. emergency rooms with preventable medical conditions such as dehydration, malnutrition and unattended wound care. Consequently, the physicians are taking on an additional role as nursing home ombudsmen as they report their finding to authorities.
Reporting incidents of nursing home abuse and neglect to authorities is probably not what most emergency room physicians intended their jobs to be like. However, the reports from physicians to authorities is essential to the safety of the overall nursing home population. Nonetheless, what makes this report so disappointing is the fact that these nursing home residents are receiving life-saving medical treatment for conditions that are preventable. As with most nursing home care, attending to the basic life needs of nursing home residents frequently prevents many medical complications. Read the full story about physicians reporting nursing home neglect here.