Some Fla. ‘COVID-19 isolation centers’ have histories of failure

7 of 23 facilities were recently on state watchlist

HOMES THE STATE IS TRUSTING TOHOUSE COVID PATIENTS& HAVEHISTORIES OF FAILURE.

CONTACT5 INVESTIGATOR KATIE LAGRONEREVEALS HOW SOME ARE SERVINGYEARS ON THE STATEWATCHLISTPAID EXTRA TO CARE FOR COVIDPATIENTS.<< THE LAST TIME I EVER SAWHIM IN PERSON FOR DAVONNEIRION& THE MOMENT&CAMENATURALLY- - I HAVE NO IDEAWHY I - I JUST PUT HAND INHEART AND JUST YELLED DAD ILOVE YOU& IT WAS FATHERAND THE LAST TIME IRION WOULDSEE HER 90 YEAR OLD FATHER INPERSON.

COVID.

THEY SENT HIMOUT TO THE HOSPITAL AND IFOUND OUT THE NEXT MORNINGFROM THE NURSE AT THE ER THATHE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID.AT THE TIME, IRION SAYS SHEDIDNHER FATHER LIVED IN FOR NEARLYFIVE YEARS&WAS HOUSING COVIDPATIENTS IN A SEPARATE UNIT.IN JULY, IT OFFICIALLY BECAMEONE OF THE STATEDEDICATED COVID ISOLATIONCENTERS& FACILITIES CONTRACTEDBY THE STATE TO HOUSE COVIDPOSITIVE SENIORS TO“HELP HALTTHE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS INLONG TERMS CARE SETTING”ACCORDING TO THE STATE.

BUTUNLIKE THAT FACILITY, WEDISCOVERED MANY OTHERS ON THELIST HAVE HISTORIES PLAGUEDWITH DEFICIENCIES SEVEN OFTHEM OR 30% PLACED ON THESTATENOT A GOOD THING THATGOOD THING, WHEN YOUWATCH LIST IT MEANS THAT YOUHAVE PERFORMEDUNSATISFACTORILY WHEN THESTATE HAS COME IN TO DOPERIODIC REVIEWS THEY AREREQUIRED TO DO SEAN DOMNICK ISA PALM BEACH GARDENS BASEDATTORNEY SPECIALIZING INNURSING HOME NEGLIGENCE.

ITSNOT THAT WEFACILITIES THAT HAD DEFICITS10 YEARS AGO AND THEYCORRECTED ALL OF THEM.

ITFACILITIES THAT CONTINUE TOHAVE DEFICITS IN THE LAST FEWMONTHS AND DEFICITS IN AREASTHAT CONTINUE TO BE IMPACTEDBY COVID.

THATDOESNWHATSOEVER.

TAKE COUNTRYSIDEREHAB AND HEALTH CARE CENTERON FLORIDAHISTORY OF DEFICIENCIES GOBACK MORE THAN A DECADE&MEDICARE SCORED IT BELOWAVERAGE.

AND IN 2018, IT HITTHE STATELACKING AN EMERGENCY PLAN.THIS YEAR-- THE 120 BED CENTERWAS AGAIN CITED BY THE STATE--ACCORDING TO STATE INSPECTORS-IN JUNE- IT FAILED TO“MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF COVID1” BY NOT IMPLEMENTING ITSDISEASE PREVENTION PLAN&ITSSTAFF SEEN“NOT WEARINGPERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMEN”A MONTH LATER&IT SIGNED ON TOCARE FOR COVID PATIENTS&ANDGET PAID EXTRA FOR IT.

INCONTRACTS WE OBTAINED THROUGHA PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST,FACILITIES SERVING AS STATEISOLATION CENTERS CAN GETREIMBURSED MORE THAN DOUBLETHEIR DAILY MEDICAID PROVIDERRATE& EMPTY BEDS- NOEXCEPTION.

WEFACILITIES THAT HISTORICALLYHAVE PROVIDED SUB STANDARDCARE AND WEAND SAYING WEYOU MORE MONEY NONE OF THESEVEN FACILITIES WITHHISTORIES ON THE STATEWATCHLIST RESPONDED TO OURREQUESTS FOR COMMENT.FLORIDAHEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATIONWHICH CHOSE THESE FACILITIES&TOLD US IN THIS EMAIL ALLFACILITIES WERE“VETTED,RECEIVE ENHANCED OVERSIGHT&AND WERE IN FULL COMPLIANCEWITH STATE AND FEDERAL NURSINGHOME REGULATIONS WHENDESIGNATED” FLORIDA SENATORMARCO RUBIO& AS FAR AS WHYSPECIFIC ONES WERE CHOSEN IJUST DONDECISION THATSTATE LEVEL BY THE HEALTHCAREADMINISTRATION NOT THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT THATDAVONNE IRION STILL QUESTIONSWHY SHE DIDNCENTER WAS HOUSING COVIDPATIENTS AT THE TIME HE WASINFECTED& THE FACILITY DOES*NO* HAVE A HISTORY OFDEFICIENCIES& BUT HAVINGRECENTLY LOST HIM TO THEVIRUS&SHE KNOWS THE IMPORTANCEOF GETTING IT RIGHT& AND THEPAIN OF SAYING GOODBYE.

THISIS SOMETHING YOU REALLY NEEDYOUR BRIGHTEST AND YOUR BESTON TAG- THE STATE ALSO TELLSUS THEY ARE IN DAILYCOMMUNICATION WITH ALL OFTHESE FACILITIES.

KATIELAGRONEIF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE YOU'DLIKE THE CONTACT 5INVESTIGATORS TO LOOK INTO ...SEND OUR TEAM AN EMAIL TOCONTACT 5 AT WPTV DOT COM.

YOUCAN ALSO CALL THE TIP-LINE AT561-653-5717.

ALL OF THATINFORMATION IS LISTED RIGHT ONYOUR S