Articles Tagged: Nursing homes

A social worker for Heritage Specialty Care was justified in quitting after the facility failed to inform her of residents who had serious, contagious diseases, according to a judge’s ruling.

In May, the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing visited the Crestview Specialty Care facility in West Branch in response to nine separate complaints concerning resident care. Four of the complaints were substantiated.

Iowa Health and Human Services Director Kelly Garcia said Friday that the state agency plans to focus on making health care more accessible across the state through changes to Iowa’s public health providers, like the new system for behavioral health.

While portions of their legislative proposals were incorporated into budget bills, Iowa lawmakers failed to pass substantive nursing home legislation this year. What does that mean for the nursing home industry, and what action could be taken next year?

According to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 14 percent of Iowa’s 422 nursing facilities were cited for insufficient staffing in fiscal 2023.

Bill would help manage Iowa’s nursing home costs; 157 Cedar Rapids second-graders getting free swim lessons

Staffing agencies, whose rates would be capped by the bill, warn the proposal could cause nurses to leave the agencies and thus worsen the nursing home worker shortage

Also, Iowa House passes ban on police traffic stop quotas.

Recap of news from across the state

Iowa House Republicans and Iowa Senate Democrats introduced their respective legislative proposals Tuesday to ensure safety, support and accountability in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

Also, lawmakers advance a bill allowing families to monitor nursing home residents.

The bill comes as Iowa nursing homes face heightened scrutiny after multiple reports in the last year of deaths, abuse and neglect at long-term care facilities.

When interviewed by Iowa investigators, the board alleges, Paye couldn’t name any of her instructors or classmates at Med-Life, although she passed the national exam on her first attempt before being granted a license to practice in Iowa.

But Democrats say more accountability is needed following reports of neglect.

In 2023, the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing — and other state inspection agencies around the country — were tasked with reducing the number of their past-due inspections by at least 50 percent. Iowa officials say they met that goal, and only 29 of Iowa’s 407 facilities remained overdue for an inspection.