MA Health Department to Investigate Boston Nursing Home

Massachusetts health officials have launched an investigation into Woodbriar Health Center in Boston after a recent scabies infestation led to more than three dozen patients being treated for the condition.

Scabies is a microscopic mite that burrows into the top lawyer of skin in order to lay eggs, causing an itchy rash. It can spread through contact with an infested persons skin, clothing or bedding.

It can take anywhere from two to six weeks for symptoms to appear, making it difficult to diagnose. In a nursing home, that delay can easily lead to a widespread infestation. Nursing home residents who have suffered abuse or neglect deserve justice. The nursing home abuse attorneys at Pitman, Kalkhoff, Sicula & Dentice, S.C. will help your loved one pursue compensation for the injuries they have sustained.

Scabies Infestation Leads to Inspection

In early January, a resident of Woodbriar Health Centers dementia unit was discovered to have a scabies infection after testing the skin on a suspicious rash.

Families of the nearly 40 residents in the unit were notified of the incident and informed that, as a precaution, all of the patients would be treated for two to three weeks with an oral medication.

A statement from the facility did not reveal how the patient first acquired the scabies, but did note that no other residents had the condition.

A state health department surveyor made a site visit on January 12^th and reviewed the case, determining that the facility properly handled the situation and that no further action was required.

A former manager within the states health department stated that scabies is not common in nursing homes and that generally a surveyor would not be sent to investigate a scabies infestation. It is likely that complaints about the way the facility handled the situation prompted the investigation.

A family member of one resident noted the families received almost no information from the facility about the situation or how it was being handled. She was also shocked to see that unit residents were forced to wear nothing but a hospital gown as their clothing was taken to be sanitized for a week at a time on multiple occasions.

Frequent Citations

Woodbriar and its owner, Synergy Health Centers, have been cited for a number of substandard care violations, including medication errors, poor infection control and festering pressure sores.

The nursing home is currently under investigation after a patient was dropped on Christmas Day and died from injuries two days later.

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