The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has completed its investigation of neglect concerns at the Bethel Care Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. A complaint was filed with the MDH alleging that a resident of the facility developed a pressure sore on his foot as a result of not receiving adequate nursing care.
The MDH determined that the Bethel Care Center is responsible for neglect of the facility’s resident because the resident “was assessed as a moderate risk for the development of pressure ulcers, and observed on admission to have a blackened area on his right heel in a soft left heel. Documentation in interviews revealed the facility failed to monitor and provide treatment to prevent further break down and development of pressure ulcers on the resident’s feet. The resident required medical intervention for the development of the pressure ulcers on his feet. The facility was not aware of the resident’s pressure ulcers on his feet.” [Case no. H5295092]
This is not the first investigation of Bethel Care Center by the MDH. In July 2010, the MDH found that a Bethel Care Center resident had been physically and emotionally abused by a staff member who called the resident a baby, told him to shut up, dragged the resident across the floor and threw him onto the bed. [Case no. H5295085] In June 2010, the MDH cited the facility for unsafe premises (water leaking from ceilings and dripping onto residents, with black substance on the ceilings. [Case no. H5294084]
Medicare rates nursing homes, including this 131-bed nursing home facility. Medicare has assigned a rating to Bethel Care Center as a “below average” facility based on the government’s health inspections of the facility. The average number of deficiencies for Minnesota nursing homes is 7.2. Bethel Care Center received 15 deficiencies in its May 2011 inspection. Deficiencies cited by Medicare include Bethel Care Center’s failure to hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents, failure to provide care by qualified persons, and failure to give residents proper treatment to prevent new bed (pressure) sores or heal existing bed sores, among other failures.
If you believe your loved one has been harmed due to a nursing home’s neglect or abuse, take action and contact the Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm online or call us toll-free at (877) 552-2873 to set up a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
