Especially while the state is dealing with the grips of the pandemic, the long-term care facilities where we place our loved ones takes one more and more importance. Whether you’ve already picked out a care center or are just beginning the process, it’s worth knowing what nursing homes are required to report in Arizona, so you’ll be more educated about the process.
Who Licenses Arizona Nursing Homes?
All nursing homes in Arizona (except tribal) are licensed through the Bureau of Long-Term Care Licensing in the Division of Public Health Services, under the Arizona Department of Health Services. These centers are officially defined as “providing services to residents who require continuous medical and nursing care and supervision due to physical and/or mental disability”.
What Are the Rights of an Arizona Nursing Home Resident?
Relevant to what a home is required to report, residents have the following rights, according to the linked government site above:
- To be treated with respect and dignity in full recognition of your individuality
- Dignified existence and self-determination
- Freedom from interference, coercion, discrimination, and reprisal
There is also a range of admission, freedom from restraint and abuse, quality of life, and visits-privacy-confidentiality rights (among others) that all homes must adhere to. A reported violation of any of these rights may spur an investigation from the Bureau’s investigation arm.
Nursing homes participating in Medicare or Medicaid must also report a variety of standards to certain federal agencies to ensure they’re meeting ongoing health and safety regulations.
As of May 2020, Arizona nursing homes are required to report COVID-19 infections and deaths to certain state and federal bureaus as a means to attempt to control the outbreak. In Maricopa County alone, more than 4,000 long-term care residents and 2,700 staffers have been infected along with more than 1,200 residents that have died from COVID-19 complications since March.
If you have a loved one in a nursing home and are concerned there may be instances of ongoing abuse or unreported violations, it’s important to file those concerns with the state as soon as possible. If you’re not getting the answers you need, it may be time to enlist the help of a nursing home abuse and neglect law firm like Rabb and Rabb, PLLC. We understand the compassion and care that these cases require while aggressively protecting the rights of those you care about most. Call (520) 888-6740 to learn more.
