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Committee on Health Holds Oversight Hearing on Implementation of the "Health Care Facilities Improvement Amendment Act of 2010"
Washington, D.C. – Today, Councilmember David A. Catania (At-Large), Chairman of the Committee on Health, held an oversight hearing on the implementation of the “Health Care Facilities Improvement Amendment Act of 2010.” The Act, passed in early 2010, was designed to protect the health, safety, and rights of the District’s most vulnerable citizens; those individuals residing in nursing home and other long-term care facilities. The Act sought to improve the standards of care at those facilities as well as strengthen patient’s rights and enhance safety.
“The reforms articulated in the Act are crucial to protecting the health and safety of nursing home residents,” said Councilmember Catania. “Prior to passage of this legislation, the District continually ranked among the lowest in the nation in providing safe and comprehensive services in our nursing home facilities. With the changes made by this legislation, the District can now become an example for other jurisdictions around the country.”
Following passage of this legislation, the Department of Health (DOH) worked closely with nursing homes and other interested stakeholders to develop and write the rules that would govern the implementation of the Act. The regulations were recently finalized and DOH is in the final stages of bringing all nursing facilities into compliance with these new requirements over the next several months. HRLA is working cooperatively with facility managers to create an effective and workable implementation plan and timeline.
As enacted, the legislation focuses on improving four key areas related to the health and safety of nursing home residents. With respect to staffing and staff competency, the Act requires increased nurse staffing levels as well as the availability of an onsite physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse. The legislation also placed additional training requirements on nursing home staff and administrators to improve their ability to care for the residents of their facility. In the area of medical services, the legislation required that facilities provide on-site medical services instead of using emergency medical care for acute medical services. Further, the legislation enhanced discharge planning requirements to ensure that when a resident leaves a facility, they are linked to needed services and programs. The legislation calls for the creation and dissemination of a statement of a resident’s rights that in order to better protect potentially vulnerable individuals from abuse and discrimination. The legislation requires facilities to develop, implement, and update policies central to the provision of programs and services to residents. Finally, the legislation creates appropriate enforcement mechanisms to improve accountability for all facilities. |
