Inspection report on area nursing homes released

Feb. 18--A Kansas nonprofit agency that promotes quality nursing-home care has released its annual list of best and worst nursing homes in the state, based on yearly inspection reports.

Four of the just six nursing homes in the state to record three consecutive years of five deficiencies or less during inspections are in south-central Kansas, while one is in western Kansas and the sixth in Russell.

In contrast, more than a dozen homes in The News coverage area recorded at least 10 deficiencies for not meeting specific health and care standards. That's higher than both state and national averages.

In all, some 22 percent of the state's nursing homes, or 78 facilities, fell in the latter category.

Citations for deficiencies occur when the facility is not in compliance with state or federal health and safety regulations. Nationally, the average number of deficiencies cited during the inspection of a nursing facility is 7.2; in Kansas, the average is 10.3.

Just three homes had zero deficiencies on their last inspection, including Moundridge Manner in Moundridge, Sterling Presbyterian Manner in Sterling and Bethel Home in Montezuma, according to a release from Kansas Advocates for Better Care (KABC).

In fact, all three marked at least their fourth consecutive year where inspectors found one or fewer problems.

The other highly rated homes were Caritas Center Inc., Wichita, with two deficiencies and Russell Regional Hospital, Russell, and Larksfield Place, Wichita, each with three deficiencies.

For the six facilities listed, five of which are nonprofits, none of the citations received were for "actual harm of a resident," "immediate jeopardy of residents," or "mistreatment of a resident" in the nursing facility.

Among the area homes with 10 or more deficiencies, all were also cited for deficiencies that resulted in "actual harm" to residents or put them in "immediate jeopardy" of being harmed, according to the release.

Area homes, and their number of citations, included: Great Bend Health & Rehab, Great Bend, 28; Garden Valley Retirement Village, Garden City, 26; McPherson Operator LLC, McPherson, 21; Good Samaritan Society, Dodge City, 19; Prairie Sunset Home Inc., Pretty Prairie, 17; Morton County Senior Living Community, Elkhart, 17; Mennonite Friendship Communities Inc., South Hutchinson, 15; Hutchinson Operator LLC, Hutchinson, 15; Stevens County Hospital LTCU/Pioneer Manor, Hugoton, 15; Cherry Village, Great Bend, 15; Kiowa Hospital District Manor, Kiowa, 13; St. Luke Living Center, Marion, 11; and Good Samaritan Society, Liberal, 11.

Deficiencies noted are from Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services inspection reports and is current as of Dec. 14, 2017.

By law, all facilities are supposed to be inspected annually, within a nine- to 15-month range. Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services inspectors, who conduct the inspections through a federal contract, however, are not meeting inspection timeframes, according to the KABC, with inspections growing increasingly more delayed.

The agency had 22 inspector openings as of last week.

Any resident who wishes to report poor care or abuse or who suspects abuse, neglect or other mistreatment of a nursing resident may call the complaint and abuse hotline at 1-800-842-0078 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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