The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills

The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills was a private nursing home in Hollywood, Florida, United States, with 152 beds. It was acquired by Hollywood Property Investments in 2015 following a bankruptcy proceeding.[1]

The facility provided advanced nursing care, 24-hour care, tube feeding, and nutritional management.[2]

Hurricane Irma

After the air-conditioning system failed because of a power outage during Hurricane Irma in 2017, several residents suffered from hyperthermia inside the facility, resulting in the deaths of eight people. Power was lost on Sunday evening. The nursing home contacted authorities multiple times seeking assistance and was reportedly told that it was being prioritized for power restoration.[3] The nursing home was not listed on Florida Power & Light's (FPL) priority restoration list, and at the time of the incident there were no state requirements for generators capable of powering air conditioning systems in nursing homes.[4]

The Agency for Health Care Administration imposed a moratorium on admissions at the facility.[5] The nursing home was also removed from Medicaid.[6] The Hollywood Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement opened a criminal investigation into the deaths.[5] In a press release, the company stated that "The Center and its medical and administrative staff diligently prepared for the impact of Hurricane Irma."[7]

In October 2017, Governor Rick Scott implemented emergency rules requiring assisted living facilities and nursing homes to have generators capable of operating air-conditioning systems for up to four days during power outages.[8] On November 22, 2017, 12 deaths at the nursing home were ruled homicides caused by heat exposure. During depositions, both medical examiners stated that they did not follow national guidelines for determining the manner and cause of death in heat emergencies. Dr. Jeffrey Jentzen, an author of those guidelines, testified that the deaths would not have been classified as homicides had the guidelines been applied.[9]

Hearings regarding the potential permanent revocation of the nursing home's license began on January 29, 2018.[10]

The deaths at the Hollywood Hills nursing home prompted legislative responses from Florida lawmakers.[11] Governor Scott signed an executive order requiring nursing facilities to develop plans to supply emergency power for four days in the event of power outages.[11] Representative Frederica Wilson proposed legislation requiring all nursing and assisted-living facilities to have backup generators capable of powering air conditioning systems. Senator Lauren Book subsequently filed a bill that would require such facilities to operate on generator power for five days.[11] Approximately twelve bills related to nursing home emergency power requirements were introduced during the 2018 Florida legislative session.[12]

Closure

On Wednesday, September 20, 2017, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) issued an emergency order suspending the facility's license to operate following the deaths that occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.[13] The nursing home closed permanently the same day, resulting in the layoff of 245 employees.

Government coverup

Researchers at Brown University reported that government officials significantly undercounted the number of deaths among Florida nursing home residents following Hurricane Irma in 2017.

David Dosa, MD, MPH, an associate professor of medicine and of health services, policy, and practice, analyzed mortality data from Florida nursing homes during the 30 days following the Category 4 hurricane and compared it with the same period in 2015, a year without hurricanes in the state. Writing in JAMA Network Open, he reported that the estimated death toll was more than double the figure reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[14]

The study found that Hurricane Irma was associated with significant increases in mortality and hospitalization among Florida's 61,564 nursing home residents. Compared with 2015, the researchers identified an additional 262 deaths at 30 days after exposure and 433 additional deaths at 90 days. The number of deaths within 30 days of exposure exceeded the 123 deaths reported by the CDC for the entire population of Florida by 139.

Dosa, whose research focuses on disaster management in the long-term care sector, stated that nursing homes should receive higher priority in emergency planning and response.[15]

According to reporting, the State of Florida sought to block the nursing home from obtaining certain mortality data through a public records request, citing potential privacy concerns. This action reportedly prevented the facility from using the information during related civil proceedings.[16] Dosa later obtained the data through Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) records, though it was reportedly too late for inclusion in the civil proceedings.

Criminal proceedings

Criminal charges were initially filed against the facility's charge nurse, a floor nurse, a licensed practical nurse, and the administrator.[17] In September 2022, criminal charges against three nurses were dropped, approximately three years after they were filed.[18]

Defense attorneys argued that the case was procedurally flawed, stating that the Hollywood Police Department filed charges without involvement from the State Attorney's Office. Counsel for the remaining defendant, administrator Jorge Carballo, criticized the prosecution and alleged misconduct, including asserting that homicide determinations were politically motivated. During depositions, medical examiners testified that homicide determinations were made by supervisors prior to the completion of autopsies and that they were instructed to rely on information from the Hollywood Police Department rather than nationally recognized criteria used to determine the manner and cause of death.[19]

On February 24, 2023, Carballo was acquitted. The presiding judge ruled that the prosecution's case lacked sufficient evidence to allow a reasonable jury to convict.[20][21]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Larkin Community Hospital closes on Hollywood nursing home". The Real Deal Miami. 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  2. ^ "Hollywood Hills Rehabilitation Center, LLC: Private Company Information - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  3. ^ Fink, Sheri; Harmon, Amy (2017-09-16). "Pleas for Help at Florida Nursing Home Where Heat Took Lives". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2017-09-17. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  4. ^ "Hollywood Nursing Home At Center of Patient Deaths Not on County's Power Priority List: FPL". WTVJ. September 13, 2017. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness Final Report (PDF) (Report). Florida House of Representatives. January 16, 2018. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  6. ^ Pounds, Marcia Heroux. "245 workers laid off at nursing home where residents died in heat". Sun-Sentinel.com. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  7. ^ "The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills | Nursing Home | Memorial Regional Hospital". hollywoodhillsrehab.com. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  8. ^ "Hearing Starts On Nursing Home Generator Rules". WFOR-TV. October 12, 2017. Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  9. ^ "Heat Kills 376 In Chicago; Toll May Hit 500 Elderly Most Vulnerable Because They Often Live Alone, Stay Inside | The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com. July 19, 1995. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  10. ^ Joan Murray (January 29, 2018). "Hearings Underway As Hollywood Nursing Home Fights For License". WFOR-TV. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  11. ^ a b c Dan Sweeney (September 19, 2017). "Federal and state lawmakers look at new rules for nursing homes". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  12. ^ Dan Sweeney (January 5, 2018). "Nursing home reforms top agenda for 2018 Florida Legislature". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  13. ^ Andrews, Travis M. "Officials shutter Florida nursing home where 8 died after Irma". Sun-Sentinel.com. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  14. ^ Dosa, David M.; Skarha, Julianne; Peterson, Lindsay J.; Jester, Dylan J.; Sakib, Nazmus; Ogarek, Jessica; Thomas, Kali S.; Andel, Ross; Hyer, Kathryn (2020-10-06). "Association Between Exposure to Hurricane Irma and Mortality and Hospitalization in Florida Nursing Home Residents". JAMA Network Open. 3 (10): e2019460. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.19460. ISSN 2574-3805. PMC 7539118. PMID 33021652.
  15. ^ "Nursing Home Residents Left in Harm's Way". February 18, 2021. Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  16. ^ "State Seeks To Block Nursing Home Records Request". WUSF Public Media. 2018-03-15. Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  17. ^ Booker, Brakkton (2019-08-27). "Police Say Families Trusted Florida Nursing Home Staff, But 'That Trust Was Betrayed'". NPR. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  18. ^ Batchelor, Roy Ramos, Amanda (2022-09-22). "Charges dropped against 3 nurses in Hollywood Hills nursing home case". WPLG. Retrieved 2022-09-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ "Charges dropped against three Hollywood nursing home workers in deaths after Hurricane Irma". Sun Sentinel. September 22, 2022. Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  20. ^ "Nursing home chief acquitted in patients' hurricane deaths". AP News. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  21. ^ Pipitone, Tony (2023-02-24). "Judge Throws Out Manslaughter Case Against Hollywood Nursing Home Administrator". NBC 6 South Florida. Retrieved 2024-03-08.

26°01′17″N 80°10′47″W / 26.0214°N 80.1798°W / 26.0214; -80.1798

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