Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Whether or not Prairie View Health Care Administrator Stephen M. Jones retains his administrator's license will be left up to the Indiana Board of Health Facility Administrators.
But the charges against his license are considered serious by the state attorney general's office.
Jones was one of four northeast Indiana nursing home administrators who had complaints filed against them by the state attorney general's office Friday. A total of 68 complaints have been filed by Attorney General Karen Freeman-Wilson against nursing home administrators throughout Indiana in the past two weeks.
"We are probably, in terms of filings, in the midway point of what we're doing," said attorney general press secretary Charlene Crowell Monday afternoon.
According to the filing document regarding Jones' license, provided by the attorney general's office, "numerous serious deficiencies and health risks were found at the facility."
Those risks, according to the document, included that the facility, for one of three residents sampled:
• Failed to ensure a resident's physician was immediately informed of significant changes in the resident's physical status or a need to alter treatment.
• Failed to ensure policies and procedures were implemented to prohibit the neglect of a resident.
• Failed to ensure residents were provided services by a qualified person.
• Failed to provide the necessary care and services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical well-being.
• Failed to ensure residents admitted with a pressure sore received the necessary treatment and services to promote healing.
• Failed to ensure adequate supervision of the residents to prevent an accident.
• Failed to ensure that residents received proper respiratory care.
• Failed to ensure sufficient nursing staff was provided to prevent neglect.
• Failed to provide the services of a registered nurse for at least eight hours per day, seven days per week.
• The governing body, or designated persons acting as a governing body, failed to ensure policies regarding the overall management and operation of the facility were effectively established and implemented. The cumulative effect of these practices was a failure of the facility to meet the needs of one of three residents sampled.
• The survey determined that the facility provided substandard quality of care that resulted in actual harm to residents. The state charged that Jones failed to devise, maintain or implement policies or procedures to avoid the above deficiencies.
• Jones' conduct constitutes a violation of Indiana Code in that he has continued to practice although he has become unfit to practice due to professional incompetence and failure to keep abreast of current professional theory or practice.
The violations were discovered in May and June 1999 on three separate visits by representatives of the Indiana State Department of Health.
Those visits were on May 6, May 24-26 and June 1.
Jones could not be reached for comment today. However, Monday, Jones said the complaints have since been brought into compliance.
He said he heard about the filings Sunday, but wasn't surprised because he heard the state was filing complaints against many nursing homes in Indiana.
While Jones was uncertain Monday what would happen next, Crowell said, "Once we file the complaints, it goes before the (Indiana Board of Health Facility Administrators)."
The board will review the complaints and look at all the evidence before making a decision. At the hearing, Crowell said, Jones has the right to defend himself, to have legal counsel present and to prevent evidence to the contrary of the violations. The attorney general will present her findings of evidence.
The board's ruling will include what action to take, if disciplinary action should be taken or if the case should be dismissed, she said. The board is independent of the attorney general's office.
Every year, Crowell said, the state health department conducts a survey of nursing homes. The number of violations a facility has will determine if the survey is forwarded for action.
A letter is sent to the administrator regarding what action the attorney general may take to give the administrator time to defend him- or herself before action is taken and the violations become public record.
"Basically, for the cases we are filing, either there was no response ... or the response given was inadequate," Crowell said.
