Many of Tennessee's Nursing Homes Among The Worst in the Nation
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, under its new five star rating system for nursing homes, has awarded 30% percent of Tennessee's nursing homes the worst possible rating in its inaugural five star report. Of the 319 nursing homes evaualted, most were rated below average. The overall findings confirm what nursing home patients, patient families, consumer advocates and consumer attorneys have known and decried for years: Tennessee nursing homes need significant improvement in the areas of quality of care, staffing, health inspections and facility safety. These changes are needed to improve the quality of life for nursing home patients and to prevent injury to or untimely deaths of nursing home patients.
Unfortunately, this report comes at a time when some members of Tennessee's Republican-controlled legislature have promised to pass legislation that would insulate nursing home companies from liability for injuries or death resulting from patient neglect. Doing so would allow nursing homes to escape responsibility for poor care by preventing patients and their families from seeking redress through the civil justice system.
Gilreath & Associates strongly encourages all Tennessee citizens, regardless of political affiliation, to contact their senator or representative and advise them that such legislation is unacceptable. Instead, let each legislator know that Tennesseans expect better care for the ill and the elderly. Let them know that nursing homes should be held accountable by Medicare and by our civil justice system when the care they provide, for considerable profit, is substandard and leads to injury or death.
For more information on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services report and the debate on nursing home legislation, see the following:
