Nursing home sanctions lifted; fines still pending

The Nevada State Health Department removed the sanctions this week after determining that the Fallon Convalescent Center has addressed most of the problems.

The department has recommended fines of $10,000 a day for a three-week period in May and June, and $3,000 a day for much of the rest of June and July.

Responding to at least 12 complaints, state inspectors concluded in May that conditions at the facility placed some patients in "immediate jeopardy."

Some residents were left in urine-soaked beds and others suffered significant weight loss, the inspection report said.

A return inspection July 28-29 found significant improvements in the quality of care, although some minor deficiencies remain, said Diane Allen, supervisor of the Bureau of Licensure and Certification.

"They did a lot of in-service education to meet the residents' needs and educated staff on the proper care of the elderly," she told the Lahontan Valley News and Fallon Eagle Standard.

Once the rest of the problems are addressed, the state will notify the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration in San Francisco that the facility is back in compliance with Medicare regulations.

The HCFA will decide at that time whether to act on the state's recommended fines, Allen said. The center has the right to appeal any fines.

The most serious deficiencies were corrected by June 7, which is the date state officials recommended the daily fines be lowered from $10,000 to $3,000, Allen said.

The recommended fines stopped on Wednesday when the state department agreed to lift the ban on admissions.

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