Repeatedly Cited Iowa Nursing Home Asks for More Medicaid Funds

Posted on behalf of Jeff Pitman on October 26, 2023 in Nursing Home Abuse
Updated on April 24, 2024

stock image of the hands of an elderly woman resting on a walking caneArbor Court Nursing Home in Mount Pleasant Iowa is seeking additional taxpayer dollars from the state. The 62-bed facility is owned and operated by Arbor Court Healthcare. This often-cited facility has been placed on the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services’ (CMS) special focus facilities list.

The special focus list is not for well-performing nursing homes. Rather, it is a program for long-term care facilities that have an extreme history of multiple regulatory violations and substandard quality care.

Arbor Court Has Been Cited and Fined Repeatedly

Despite seeking additional Medicaid funding from the state, Arbor Court has been fined $49,000 for failing to meet required minimum care standards. These most recent fines assessed are for 20 state and federal regulatory violations. These violations include:

  • Inadequate nursing staffing
  • Medication errors
  • Substandard quality of care
  • Incompetent nursing staff
  • Various safety hazards
  • Failure to treat/monitor pressure sores
  • Stealing from residents
  • Failure to meet minimum professional standards

Residents Suffered Due to Poor-Quality Care at Arbor Court

Multiple residents suffered from the substandard care provided by Arbor Court and its nursing staff, including:

  • A resident who was hospitalized after developing sepsis caused by negligent care.
  • Another resident who was allegedly left on a bedpan for 45 minutes.
  • A third resident stated $100 had been stolen from her room by a staff member. That complaint was substantiated following an internal investigation at the facility.
  • Yet another resident said she pressed her call light to request assistance but had to wait nearly two hours for it to be answered. That complaint was also substantiated. In fact, electronic records showed that on average, residents have been made to wait for 35 to 136 minutes after pressing their call lights.

According to a news article, the home has also been cited for serious injuries and nursing home deaths. In December 2022, Arbor Court was cited following the death of a female resident. The woman was administered an anticoagulant drug along with an antibiotic, which were contraindicated. The woman died after being hospitalized with a gastrointestinal bleed. Another resident fell from a mechanical device used to transfer patients, such as in and out of a bed or a wheelchair. This patient also died.

Arbor Court Currently Has No CMS Ratings

When Arbor Court was added to the CMS Special Focus list, it had a one-star rating due to the serious nature of its repeated regulatory violations and substandard quality of care. However, due to additional violations and fines, it now has no CMS ratings.

Is Your Family Member in Good Hands at His or Her Nursing Home?

If you have concerns about the care your loved one or family member is receiving at his or her nursing home, we strongly recommend seeking legal help.

At PKSD, our nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers have been advocating for these vulnerable residents for decades, and we have recovered millions in compensation on their behalf.

Not sure if you have a case? You can call our law offices to discuss your situation. We can help to determine if you may have legal options. Our law offices are available to take your call 24/7.

PKSD is currently accepting nursing home abuse or neglect cases in Iowa, Wisconsin and New Mexico. We do not charge any upfront costs or fees for our services. We only collect our fees if you get paid.

Call for legal help today.  414-333-3333

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