Families hope that their ill loved ones will receive proper care in their residential medical facilities. Unfortunately, almost one-third of nursing homes within a 50-mile radius of Charlotte are rated below average or much below average by the Medicare Nursing Home Compare tool. Nursing home residents and their families should know that they have rights to adequate care and protection against neglect and abuse.
The Ratings
Of the 86 nursing home facilities near Charlotte, 16 are rated below average by Medicare's comparison tool and 13 are rated much below average. Currently, Medicare rates nursing homes on three factors: health inspection results, nursing home staffing rates and quality measures. To determine the ratings, Medicare examines 180 health care factors; including the interactions between residents and staff, number of staff hours per resident per day and overall resident well-being, including the percentage of residents who received flu shots and resident weight loss rates.
Patient Rights
The high rate of under-performing nursing homes in and around Charlotte is disturbing, but nursing home residents have rights and North Carolina law aims to protect residents from abuse and neglect. Nursing homes must have written policies banning abuse, neglect or other mistreatment of residents, and facilities must provide prospective residents with a written copy of residents' rights and the services provided by the nursing home.
Examples of patient rights include the right to see family members, political representatives and physicians, and the right to choose a personal physician. Residents also have a right to privacy, both physical and medical, and the right to raise grievances and have them addressed. Nursing home residents also have the right to refuse treatment and to review their own medical records.
Though all nursing homes are not created equal, all nursing home residents are legally entitled to fair and safe treatment at their health care facilities. If you suspect that you or a loved one's rights have been violated, please contact an experienced personal injury attorney to be advised of your options.
