WILKES-BARRE — In the June 2020 report, Pennsylvania Department of Health nursing home surveyors conducted 269 inspections of nursing homes, including 238 complaint investigations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of these, 105 were COVID-19 specific. In addition, two sanctions were finalized against nursing care facilities, which included the issuance of one provisional two license, and civil penalties totaling $20,560.
“We know that congregate care settings, like nursing homes, have been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said. “That is why we remain committed to protecting the health and well-being of our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians by continuing to hold nursing home operators accountable, as necessary, to ensure they are providing safe care. If you see something at a nursing home that doesn’t seem right, we encourage you to speak up.”
Individuals with complaints about a nursing home can file that complaint with the department in several ways. Complaints can be made anonymously by calling 1-800-254-5164.
Although annual inspections are not occurring at this time, extensions are in place according to guidance issued from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS). The majority of other surveys are still occurring, both virtually and on-site. Virtual surveys provide the same level of access but are doing virtually to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
The number of long-term care facility deaths continues to decrease, as reflected in the long-term care facility graphs on the department’s LTCF data page. New cases have increased over the past few weeks as facilities conduct universal testing to determine the prevalence of COVID-19. The majority of these new cases are individuals who were asymptomatic.
The inspections, called surveys, include information on nursing home patient-care and building inspections. If a facility is cited for not following regulations during the survey, it must submit a plan of correction that includes what will be done to fix the issue and a completion date. The department will conduct a surprise follow-up inspection to ensure the issue is resolved. Surveys are posted to the website 41 days after the survey is completed.
The department also may issue a sanction. Possible sanctions include a civil penalty, a ban on admissions, a license being revoked, or a facility being put on a provisional license, which requires, among other things, being subject to additional inspections. A provisional license can be renewed no more than three times. The department can return the facility to a regular license if it is satisfied that all issues have been corrected and it is warranted.
The department maintains a searchable database, which allows the public to view patient care surveys, building safety surveys, size of the nursing home, type of ownership and additional information about each of the nursing homes in the state. The department oversees nearly 700 nursing homes and more than 88,000 beds within nursing homes in Pennsylvania, in addition to other facilities, including hospitals, ambulatory surgical facilities, home care agencies and others.
The Wolf Administration has taken a three-pillar approach to protecting the vulnerable residents living in nursing homes and other long-term living settings from COVID-19:
• Ensuring resident safety through testing, education and resources;
• Preventing and mitigating outbreaks; and
• Working in partnership with state agencies, local health departments and long-term care facility operators.
Rep. Carroll: $1.9M for road
reconstruction in Pittston
Rep Mike Carroll, D-Avoca, this week announced that the city of Pittston has been awarded a $1.9 million PennDOT multi-modal grant to realign North Main Street from its intersection with Mill and New streets.
Carroll said considering the financial challenges faced by communities such as Pittston due to the COVID-19 impact, these significant grant funds will ensure this important infrastructure project is completed.
“Each year, I passionately advocate for the communities I represent to guarantee our region benefits from this grant program and each year these efforts have proved wildly successful,” Carroll said. “Pittston’s Main Street is a source of particular community pride and this project on North Main extends the significant improvements we’ve made along Main Street through the city.”
The total project cost is roughly $2.5 million with matching funding provided by the city of Pittston.
“Mike Carroll’s unyielding support for Pittston and the surrounding communities could never be duplicated and this critical grant highlights Mike’s seniority as chairman of the House Transportation Committee and the ability to deliver for our residents,” said Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo.
Rep. Kaufer urges House to
take up Small Business Grant bill
With the governor announcing further restrictions on already hurting restaurants and bars, Rep. Aaron Kaufer, R-Kingston, this week urged the Pennsylvania House to take up his Small Business Grant Program legislation, which would assist restaurants impacted by COVID-19.
“Small businesses across the Commonwealth are up against the wall at this point. The governor’s newest restrictions further hinder these businesses from overcoming their grave financial distress and employees now have to again worry about whether or not they will still have a job,” Kaufer said. “These restaurant owners’ livelihoods are on the line and they are in desperate need of assistance. This legislation would ease some of their worries and give them a sense of hope for the future.”
The program created through their House Bill 2615 would dedicate $250 million to these vital businesses.
Eligible restaurants would include those with up to 10 locations in Pennsylvania that lost at least 50% of their monthly sales in April and May. They would be eligible for up to $25,000 per location to use as working capital to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility expenses, or the purchase of food and beverage materials for restaurant operations. Large restaurant chains would be ineligible for grants under the program.
The bill is pending action in the House Commerce Committee.
DOH: Extreme heat can cause
dangerous health conditions
As hot summer weather continues across the state, the Department of Health this week encouraged all Pennsylvanians to be aware of the dangerous impacts extreme heat can have on themselves and their neighbors, especially the elderly and other vulnerable populations.
“The combination of heat and humidity can be deadly for people who are not able to keep themselves cool,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Exposure to high temperatures for long periods of time can cause heat exhaustion or heat strokes. We ask all Pennsylvanians to be a good neighbor and check on those who may have limited mobility or may not have a way to escape the heat.”
There are several groups of people who are at-risk of developing heat-related health conditions during high temperatures. Those groups include infants and young children, people 65 years of age and older, people with chronic medical conditions, and those who must work outdoors. It is important to make sure these groups are monitored on hot days.
Extremely hot weather can make you sick, and extreme heat is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in the United States each year.
Another way to help protect others is by wearing your mask to stop the spread of COVID-19. On July 1, Secretary Dr. Levine signed an order mandating mask-wearing. Research shows that mask-wearing reduces risk of infection from COVID-19, while not wearing a mask greatly increases a person’s chances of being infected by this contagious and deadly virus.
Individuals must wear face coverings unless wearing a face covering would create an unsafe condition in which to operate equipment or execute a task. In general, though, face coverings must be worn, even on warm days, if they do not pose a risk to an individual’s health or safety. Mere discomfort is not considered a risk to an individual’s health or safety. Face shields are an acceptable alternative to face masks when high temperatures and humidity create unsafe conditions.
In addition to wearing a mask, Pennsylvanians are encouraged to continue to practice social distancing and other preventive measures, including washing your hands frequently, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning surfaces often, and staying home if you are sick to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
