Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey voiced the need for the state Department of Health to execute an internal investigation regarding the cases.
“When our state’s seniors and families make the decision to enter a nursing home, they are placing a life in those homes administrators’ hands,” said Casey in a statement. “If even one life is lost due to the negligence of these facilities, we need to step back, ask why and see what changes are needed.”
Back in July, an audit about the Department of Health’s nursing home regulation was released. It pointed out homes that weren’t meeting staffing requirements, banned anonymous complaints, and a lack of documentation by inspectors.
According to PennLive and their investigation, there were many more underlying issues including minimizing the gravity of negligence cases. As a result of the investigation, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stated that, as of August 16, they would review the department’s hand in the cases.