As the elderly population continues to grow across America, the risk of abuse, neglect, and mistreatment is also on the rise. Many of the senior citizens in Arkansas are our state's most vulnerable and susceptible to neglect and abuse by caregivers and other residents that could diminish the victim's quality of life or cause them severe physical or emotional harm. The Arkansas nursing home neglect attorneys have represented many injured victims throughout Pulaski County and can help your family too. Contact us today to discuss pursuing a claim for financial compensation to recover your losses and hold those responsible for your harm legally accountable.
This long-term care facility is a 139-certified bed Center providing services to residents of Little Rock and Pulaski County, Arkansas. The "for profit" home is located at:
2600 Barrow Road
Little Rock, Arkansas, 72204
(501) 224-4173
It is the legal responsibility of state and federal investigators to hold nursing homes accountable if they have violated rules and regulations that harmed or could have harmed a resident. These penalties include monetary fines and the denial of payment for Medicare services. Both the state and federal nursing home regulatory agencies have fined Barrow Creek Health and Rehabilitation Center within the last three years on three separate occasions including a $37,217 fine on February 22, 2016, a $39,374 fine on October 21, 2016, and a $13,000 fine on May 3, 2018.
The facility was denied payment for Medicare services on February 22, 2016, for substandard care and had nine formally filed complaints over the last thirty-six months. Also, the facility self-reported a severe issue that resulted in a citation. Additional information about fines and penalties can be found on the Arkansas Adult Protective Services website concerning this nursing facility.
To ensure the families are fully informed of the services and care that every long-term care facility offers in their community, the state of Arkansas routinely updates their comprehensive list of health violations, safety concerns, incident inquiries, opened investigations, filed complaints, and dangerous hazards of nursing homes statewide. The resulting information is then posted on the AR Department of Public Health website and at Medicare.gov. This data can be used to make an informed decision before placing a loved one in a private or government-run facility.
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of one out of five stars, including one out of five stars concerning health inspections, three out of five stars for staffing issues and two out of five stars for quality measures. The Pulaski County neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center have found serious deficiencies and safety concerns at Barrow Creek Health and Rehabilitation Center that include:
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated May 3, 2018, the state investigator documented the facility's failure "to ensure their policy and procedure was consistently implemented, and an incident of suspected neglect was immediately (within two hours) reported to the Administrator of the facility, the Office of Long-Term Care (OLTC) and other agencies in accordance with state law." The investigator documented that the deficient practice by the administration and the nursing team "resulted in a delay in initiating an investigation and implementing protective measures to prevent further potential neglect for [one resident who was transported in a wheelchair] in the facility van. This failed practice had the potential to affect twenty-two residents who were transported in wheelchairs in the facility van."
The survey team reviewed the facility's Policy and Procedure title of Abuse Investigation and Reporting that reads in part:
"All alleged violations involving abuse, exploitation, or mistreatment, including injuries of an unknown source… will be reported by the facility Administrator [or their] designee."
"All alleged violations of abuse, neglect, exploitation or mistreatment (including injuries of an unknown source or misappropriation of resident property) will be reported immediately." However, it will be reported, "not later than two hours if the alleged violation involves abuse or has resulted in serious bodily injury; or 24 hours if the alleged violation does not involve abuse, and has not resulted in serious bodily injury."
The incident involved a moderately impaired resident whose Plan of Care revealed the resident "is dependent on staff for Activities of Daily Living. He is a quadriplegic [and requires assistance] with two staff and a mechanical lift for transfers. The resident has a risk of abnormal bleeding or hemorrhage because of anticoagulant use. The resident is at risk for pain [due to a] spinal cord injury and gout."
The investigative team reviewed the resident's Nurse's Notes dated April 12, 2018, revealing a "report from a van driver during transport while going down a slope, the shoulder strap loosened, and the resident proceeded to lean forward." The van driver "stopped the van and assisted the resident to the floor." There was a "small abrasion noted above the right eye. The resident is alert and oriented and denies a headache." The facility notified the family, sister, and son of the event who "insisted that the resident go to the emergency room for an evaluation." The resident was transported to the emergency room through an "Emergency Transport Provider."
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated May 3, 2018, the state investigator documented the nursing home's failure. The notation involved a failure "to ensure an incident of suspected neglect was immediately (within two hours) reported to the Administrator of the facility, the Office of Long Term Care and other agencies in accordance with state law, which resulted in the delay of initiating an investigation and implementing protective measures to prevent further potential neglect."
The incident involved the event documented above where "the van driver did not call the facility to alert anyone that the incident occurred until later that evening. A period of approximately four hours had elapsed between the incident occurring and when the van driver reported it to anyone. A period of four days elapsed between when the-incident-was reported by the van driver and when it was reported to the Office of Long Term Care."
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated May 3, 2018, the state investigators documented that the facility had failed to "ensure a resident in a wheelchair was properly secured [before] transport in the facility van to prevent potential serious injury." The surveyors also noted the facility's failure "to ensure the resident received attention by a physician or qualified nursing staff after an incident on the facility van, to prevent exacerbation of any injuries that may have resulted from the incident."
The survey team documented the facility's deficient practice that "resulted in past noncompliance at a level of Immediate Jeopardy, which caused or could have caused serious harm, injury or death to [the resident] was not properly secured in the van and fell/tipped over during transport." The deficient practice also "had the potential to cause more than minimal harm to twenty-two residents who required the use of a wheelchair during transport on the facility van."
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated February 16, 2018, the state survey team documented the facility's failure "to ensure fingernails were trimmed and filed to promote good personal hygiene and grooming." The deficient practice involved one resident at the facility who is "dependent on staff for nail care. This failed practice has the potential to affect all 109 residents who were dependent on staff for Activities of Daily Living."
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated March 31, 2016, the state investigators documented that the facility had failed to "ensure pressure ulcers were assessed and measured upon readmission after hospitalization to determine healing progress or decline." The survey team also noted the facility's failure "to ensure the physician was consulted upon readmission regarding any changes in treatment orders to promote healing." The deficient practice involved one resident "who had pressure ulcers. The failed practice has the potential to affect five residents who had pressure ulcers, according to the Resident Census And Conditions of Residents dated March 28, 2016."
The incident involved a resident who required two-person assistance "for bed mobility and personal hygiene; [and was] at risk for developing pressure ulcers." The resident had a "Stage I or higher pressure ulcer and four Stage I pressure ulcers, one Stage II pressure ulcer, one Stage III pressure ulcer, and one Stage IV pressure ulcer, with a Stage III or IV pressure ulcers longest length being 4.0 cm x 5.0 cm and 3.0 centimeters deep."
The resident required "pressure ulcer care." An observation was made of a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) providing "wound treatment to the resident. The LPN cleanse the wound" using solution "to the wound bed" but "did not apply [the resident's physician-ordered medication] to the wound" nor did the LPN "apply Santyl or a Border dressing to the wound" as required by the physician's orders.
In a separate summary statement of deficiencies dated February 22, 2016, the state investigator documented the nursing home's failure "to ensure staff are trained to assess, measure, and described the size and location of pressure ulcers, and document the information on a regular basis to provide pertinent information to the physician to implement the necessary care and services." The investigator also noted that the facility had failed to "ensure that the physician was notified when new pressure ulcers were identified to obtain appropriate treatment to promote healing and prevent further decline."
It was also noted that the facility had "failed to ensure physician's orders for pressure ulcer treatments were transferred to the current treatment record to ensure treatments were conducted as ordered." The nursing home also "failed to ensure recommendations for a change in treatment by the Registered Nurse (RN) Consultant were not implemented without permission of the Wound Clinic Physician, wound clinic appointments were not missed to assure physician evaluation and treatment orders for pressure ulcers and wound treatment supplies were available to all healing of pressure ulcers."
If you believe your loved one was mistreated, neglected or abused as a resident at Barrow Creek Health and Rehab, call the Arkansas nursing home abuse lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 today. Our network of attorneys fights aggressively on behalf of Pulaski County victims of mistreatment living in long-term facilities including nursing homes in Little Rock. Our team of skilled elder resident injury attorneys can assist your family and successfully resolve your case for financial recompense against all parties including the facility, doctors, nurses, and staff members that caused your loved one harm. Contact us now to schedule a free case review to discuss how to obtain justice and resolve a financial compensation claim. Let us fight aggressively on your behalf to ensure your rights are protected.
We accept every case involving nursing home neglect, wrongful death, or personal injury through a contingency fee agreement. This arrangement will postpone your need to make a payment for our legal services until after our attorneys have resolved your case through a jury trial award or negotiated out of court settlement. We offer all clients a "No Win/No-Fee" Guarantee. This promise ensures your family will owe us nothing if we cannot obtain compensation to recover your damages. Let our network of attorneys start working on your case today to ensure your family receives the financial compensation they deserve for your harm. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.
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