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The staff, Director of Nurses and Administrators working in nursing facilities throughout the United States have a legal obligation to follow nursing home regulations to protect the health and well-being of their residents. This includes notifying the resident’s doctor and responsible party (sponsor) anytime there’s a change in the resident’s medical/mental status to ensure their health is not compromised in a way that degrades their overall condition or leads to their untimely death. Unfortunately, the Chicago elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have represented many residents who have suffered life-changing conditions or prematurely died due to the negligent actions of the staff failing to follow procedures and protocols.
The Estates of Hyde Park
The Estates of Hyde Park is a 155-certified bed for profit Medicare/Medicaid-participating nursing facility providing services to residents of Chicago and Cook County, Illinois. The facility is located at:
4505 South Drexel
Chicago, Illinois 60653
(773) 285-0550
The nursing services provided by The Estates of Hyde Park encompass:
- Around-the-clock skilled nursing care
- Hospice care
- Respite care
- IV therapy
- Pain management
- Respiratory care
- Stroke recovery care
- COPD rehabilitation
- Orthopedic, neurological and cardiac rehabilitation services
Chicago Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns
Both the federal government and the state of Illinois routinely update their nursing home databases to reflect the most currently opened investigations, safety concerns, health violations and filed complaints of every facility nationwide. The updated information is posted on numerous sites including Medicare.gov.
Currently, the Estates of Hyde Park maintains an overall one out of five available star rating in the national star rating summary comparative analysis tool system. This includes four out of five stars for quality measures, two out of five stars for staffing issues and one out of five stars for health inspections. Our Chicago nursing home neglect attorneys have found numerous complaints and safety concerns involving this facility that include:
- Failure to Immediately Notify the Resident’s Doctor or Responsible Family Member of a Change in the Resident’s Situation Including a Decline in Health or Injury
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 07/01/2015, a complaint investigation against the facility was opened for its failure to "notify the physician and family of the development of a pressure ulcer and the deterioration of the pressure ulcer.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff at the Estates of Hyde Park affected one resident at the facility “reviewed for notification of a change in condition.”
The failure was first documented on 05/29/2015 on a resident’s Progress Notes that indicated that the resident “was sent to a local wound clinic for evaluation.” The resident’s Progress Note then indicates that the resident was then “sent directly from the wound clinic to the hospital for surgical debridement of the wound [...and] was admitted to the local hospital for an infected wound.”
Upon readmission to the facility the month prior, the resident’s 04/24/2015 Skin Integrity Observation revealed the resident’s wound had “skin intact, buttocks/sacrum with areas of barely blanchable [wounds categorized as a Stage I bedsore].” However, less than five weeks later, the resident had to be admitted to a hospital “for an infected wound.”
Approximately two weeks after admittance to the facility in April 2015, the resident’s 05/08/2015 Skin Integrity Observation notes that the resident’s “left buttocks pressure ulcer [measures] 4.5 centimeters by 5.5 centimeters [with depth unknown] and was now unstageable [...and the sacrum wound] measured 0.7 centimeters by 0.3 centimeters by <0.1 centimeters” and was classified as a “Stage II” bedsore. The surveyor noted that the resident’s progress note and skin integrity observation do not “indicate that the physician, family or dietitian was notified of [the resident’s] change in condition.”
By 05/29/2015, the resident’s Skin Integrity observation indicates the resident’s “left buttocks pressure ulcer measured 10.5 centimeters by 11.7 centimeters by 5.3 centimeters and was classified as a stage IV [life-threatening bedsore].” The investigator noted that the actions of the nursing staff at the Estates of Hyde Park failed to follow the facility’s 2008 revised policy titled: Change in Resident’s Condition or Status Policy that reads in part:
“The facility shall notify the resident, his or her attending physician, and representative (sponsor) of changes in the resident’s medical/mental condition or status.” The policy also indicates “that notification will be made as soon as possible (within 24 hours of the change occurring to the resident’s medical/mental condition or status.”
Chicago Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If the nursing staff or Administrator failed to notify your loved one’s doctor or family member of any change in their condition that led to their injury while residing at the Estates of Hyde Park, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can take immediate legal action. Our Cook County elder abuse attorneys can build a case for recompense to ensure your family financially recovers from the damages you have endured.
We accept every personal injury case through contingency fee arrangements. This means we provide you and your family all services required to hold those responsible for your loved one’s harm legally and financially accountable and are only paid for our services once we have secured your negotiated out of court settlement or won your case at trial. To schedule your free, no-obligation case evaluation, contact our Chicago Illinois nursing home abuse law firm today at (888) 424-5757.
