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11/14/12
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3232 views
River City Care and Rehabilitation on defense after claim
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A Decatur health care facility is defending itself against a Mississippi law firm’s claim that it did not have proper policies in place to prevent mistreatment of patients.
Hattiesburg law firm McHugh Fuller is compiling alleged cases of abuse and neglect against River City Care and Rehabilitation’s owner, SunBridge Healthcare Corp., which owns 198 other facilities across the country.
The law firm is seeking residents who have, or who have relatives they suspect may have, suffered injuries or neglect while being treated at River City Care and Rehabilitation.
The facility provided The Daily a document Tuesday that outlines guidelines prohibiting neglect, abuse and theft of patients’ property.
River City Rehabilitation Administrator Dana Briley said those policies have been in place since 2002 and were updated in 2005 and again in 2008.
She, her staff and several patients say McHugh Fuller’s full-page advertisement that ran in The Daily is false and misleading.
“It insinuates we break bones and hurt people here, and that’s just absolutely false,” Briley said. “It hurts us because we’ve worked very hard to build up our reputation over the past 15 years.”
The 180-bed facility on 14th Avenue Southeast completed a $3 million renovation last year, which added space for a therapy room and other improvements, Briley said.
“We care about the residents here, and our staff works very hard,” Assistant Administrator Kathi Dawn said.
Attorney Jim McHugh said his firm, which specializes in nursing home abuse litigation, got involved after it received a phone call from an individual — he would not say who or when — about possible issues at the facility.
His staff then reviewed state survey records for all SunBridge Healthcare facilities, which indicated individual problems that were “systemic” and “facility-wide.”
A call to SunBridge Healthcare’s corporate headquarters was not returned Tuesday.
“We’ve had overwhelming response from the ads,” McHugh said. “SunBridge has had a troubled history of issues at its facilities, but I’ve also talked to people who have had loved ones that have stayed in one of their facilities that say they were treated great and had no problems.”
“People just need to be more vigilant and proactive, and if they see something, report it to the proper agency.”
The Alabama Department of Public Health, the agency that oversees health care facilities such as River City Rehabilitation, sends surveyors annually to talk with patients and staff and note any issues.
Its records show two deficiencies were found at River City Rehabilitation this year regarding catheters and palatable food.
Last year, the agency filed six reports of deficiencies, from patients’ privacy while using the telephone to the temperature of food.
Records show in 2003 that the state found the facility, then operating under the name SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation, had “failed to attempt or document any reference checks” on five employees of 54 newly hired workers.
The ADPH found this deficiency fell under the facility’s requirement to have written policies and procedures regarding patient mistreatment, neglect and abuse.
ADPH General Counsel Pat Ivie said River City Rehabilitation has no pending enforcement action against it.
Five River City Rehabilitation residents and 12 of its employees have written letters this month complaining about the advertisement.
They say it has damaged the facility’s reputation. In 2010, it won the American Health Care Association’s National Quality award for its commitment to quality patient services.
“We have so many dedicated employees that love our patients and residents,” Brenda Sutton, the facility’s director of nurses, wrote in a letter to The Daily. “They (McHugh Fuller) are ambulance chasers who are in it for the money, not the patients.”
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This law firm is doing EXACTLY what it needs to do. Brenda Sutton and Dana Briley are such liars! There are so many violations at River City Care and Rehab. The CNA's are very rude to the residents, they lack professionalism, handle the residents "ruff", and the list could go on and on. The food served to the residents is cold! Some of the nurses make one med pass, and some of the nurses only give medication to the residents "in there right mind"....so if a resident can't remember getting their medication, they probably didn't. They just went to court on one resident that had maggots in his wound! This place is such a joke. If there are employees that can say they have been there for years, THEY AREN'T WORTH A DAMN!!!!!! And don't be an employee that wants to come in and do the right thing and hold people accountable, because they (Brenda and Dana) will get rid of you!!!!! I hope this law firm sues them and they are shut down for the good of the health of these residents!!!!!!!!!!!!
My wife was there in 2006. They moved her from a bright and pleasant room to a dark and dismal room without my consent. They never would get her up like they had before and never opened the blinds for her to see out the window. She stopped eating and within 2 weeks she passed away. They didn't call in Hospice until 2 days before she died. My daughter and I have been upset with that place ever since. They also misplaced clothing and other items such as quilts and sentimental things. Some were never found. The administrator at the time said she thought my wife needed to be closer to the nurses station but I didn't think so because she was fine til they moved her. When Alzheimers patients have a change made it makes things worse. But that's only my opinion. I pray I don't have to be there.
My Mother was a patient at River City Care and Rehab. in March of this year. She received excellent conpassionate care from the staff. Mother was treated with respect and dignity. Mother was in the dying process and we the family decided to take her home, because this is where she was happiest. Hospice helped with her care at home. Mother continued to talk of the staff at River City Care and Rehab, how blessed she had been by their caring Hearts. Our Lord called her Home five weeks later, and as all Christian know the day of Our death is choosen by the Lord. I want it understood that part of dying, is a loss of appetite, of suffering for some and so much more.. People who need Hospice Care are in the dying process and this is a decision for the Loved ones to Decide, if they exist. When the family is tired or None exist, WHO IS THERE? The staff,who care for them and Love Them. In the statement above, someone complaing about window blinds: Did the light hurt her eyes? Did he open the blinds for her? I wonder. It is normal to be angry when you loose someone, it is Easy to blame others.. Alot of times We wonder what more? what better things could WE have done. We are THANKFUL for River City and it's Staff and Hospice. God Bless Them All. We Would Choose Them Again If Need Be.
@ Don...glad you had a pleasant experience while you were there, but I can grant you, there are 20 more to your one that didn't. There are NO individuals at that facility that "love" those residents! Over a year ago, Dr. Chandallor and Dr. Prickett became the Medical Directors over this facility. At that point, the doctors stated if this facility didn't turn around and become a 5 star facility in 1 year they were pulling out as doctors. Guess what? It's not a 5 star and both doctors are STILL there and still sending their patients there! This place is a sewer! It should be closed down and/or replace ALL workers, including the Administrator Dana Briley and the D.O.N. Brenda Sutton. I can grant you, if you truly knew the things that went on behind the scene, you would not allow your pet to be cared for by these uncaring pay check wanting individuals. They work short of CNAs all the time. How can 1 CNA give total care to 18-20 residents? It is not possible! The only time they are staff appropriately is when STATE is in the building! Then you have the ladies from the offices, the admin, the DON, and others running on the hall helping pass trays! Any other time, the 4/5 CNAs have to pass the trays and feed the one that are dependent. So when the trays hit the halls at 5pm, they dependent residents have to wait until they can be "gotten" to, whether that be 5:30pm or even 6pm. So wonder how hot those trays are sitting on the hall for over an hour? I have even witness bugs being in the food! So please don't give me a speech of how WONDERFUL this septic tank is! I personally know better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is what DD should have added to their story..........................Nursing Home Law... It's What We Do | Mchugh Fuller
www.mchughfuller.com/BRANDON, MS (WLBT) - A Rankin County woman is accusing a nursing home of abusing her elderly mother. MS worker stole from retirement home residents ...
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97 Elias Whiddon Road Hattiesburg, MS 39402
(601) 261-2220
ANYONE THAT FEELS THEIR LOVE ONE WAS ABUSED OR NEGLECTED SHOULD CALL THIS LAW FIRM AND FILE A COMPLAINT..........
You can change the name, just like you can put lip stick on a pig, but is still a PIG! I wouldn't send my dog to Rivercity!