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By M. PAUL JACKSON michaelj@leader.net
Thursday, March 20, 2003 Page: 1C
WILKES-BARRE – A Wilkes-Barre nursing home has been threatened with
revocation of its federal Medicare contract if it doesn’t correct a number of
deficiences by next month.
The home, Riverstreet Manor at 400 N. River St., has beds for 122
residents, but it was not clear how many of the patients are covered by
Medicare for nursing home care.
According to Medicare officials, the home has failed to take corrective
action for three deficiencies discovered during an inspection conducted in
February by the state Department of Health. A number of deficiencies were
discovered during earlier inspections in October and December.
Nusing home officials said Wednesday they are confident the deficiences
will be corrected by the April 2 deadline.
The deficiencies noted in February included:
The failure of the nursing home staff to provide a safety plan for a
resident whose safety restraint belt proved inadequate.
The failure of facility administration to institute appropriate safety
plans regarding the resident’s restraint belt.
Failure to promptly report an allegation of sexual assault to the state
survey agency.
A resident claimed Jan. 5 she was raped. An investigation by the facility
determined the resident was not raped. The facility did not report the
allegation or the investigation until Feb. 7.
The inspections “determined that Riverstreet Manor is not in compliance
with the Medicare requirments for long-term care facilities,” according to a
classified notice submitted by Medicare Wednesday.
“Our regulations are very, very unforgiving,” said Riverstreet
administrator Jeff Retner. “We’re trying very hard to correct” the
deficiences.
Nursing homes are licensed by the state Department of Health but are
certified by the federal government, which oversees Medicare. The health
department inspects nursing homes for compliance with federal and state
regulations and the results of the inspections are turned over to Medicare.
Riverstreet’s deficiences were not serious enough for the state to revoke
its license, health department spokesman Richard McGarvey said.
Still, “there were definitely some deficiency problems found,” he said.
The department will return to inspect the facility, although McGarvey could
not say when.
Medicare has stopped reimbursing the facility for residents admitted after
Feb. 11. Riverstreet has not accepted new Medicaid or Medicare residents since
then, Retner said.
Generally, it is difficult for any nursing home to avoid deficiences, he
said.
“This is the first time we have ever found ourselves in this position,”
he said. “We expect to have a revist” by state inspectors.
M. Paul Jackson, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7134.