Federal OIG To Investigate Katrina Nursing Home Deaths
September 23, 2005 by Jerri Lynn Ward, J.D.
Filed under Nursing Homes
Senator Chuck Grassley, through his position on the Senate Finance Committee, has issued a press release regarding his request that the OIG investigate nursing home deaths during Katrina. Specifically, he has requested that the OIG look at the following:
1) Were long-term care facilities prepared to evacuate patients across State lines?
2) Were policies and procedures in place to evacuate residents?
3) Was care jeopardized in transporting patients?
and;
4) What mechanisms are currently in place for loved ones to find displaced residents?
I look forward considering the GAO’s work on these critical issues. We must ensure that
situations like this are NEVER repeated again.
Issue number 3 suggests that this may be one of those “damned if you do and damned if you don’t” situations.
The press release can be read by clicking here. The OIG response can be read by clicking here.
Loading...
Tragedy-preventing action is always in order.
Where are our priorities?
What’s the plan to protect all USA residents against the deadly bird flu that’s working its way toward us? Will its mutating form nullify efforts to develop an effective and timely vaccine?
Other than a vaccine, how may the populace protect itself? What ways of boosting our immune systems are known and recommended by those who can differentiate between their backsides and third base?
Next summer, what’s the plan for evacuating the elderly and needful others to air-conditioned facilities if temperatures reach the 100′s — do we need a repeat of the ca. 1000 who died in Chicago in the 1990′s (to say nothing of the French ekderly who died similarly a few years ago)?
Are our borders sealed adequately, are we ready within our borders against Ebola virus-contagious suicidal/homicidal
terrorists?
Have we yet noticed the deadly concentrations of water-soluble radioactive compounds in the water-supplies of our various communities that do not test for radioactivity?
Are these questions worthy of answers? If not, let’s all relax.