Violations Found at Bay Area Nursing Homes With Most Deaths

THIS MORNING THEY ARRESTED TWO PEOPLE. A THIRD SUSPECT IS STILL WANTED. >>> THE EARLY VICTIMS OF THIS PANDEMIC WERE PEOPLE IN NURSING HOMES. MORE THAN 9,000 RESIDENTS OF CALIFORNIA'S NURSING HOMES DIED OF COVID. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JACKSON REVIEWED INSPECTION RECORDS AND FOUND SAFETY LAPSES LED TO MAJOR OUTBREAKS IN BAY AREA NURSING HOMES. SO FAR REGULATORS HAVE DONE LITTLE TO CRACK DOWN ON EVEN THE WORST OFFENDERS. >> THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROACTIVE AND GOTTEN HER TO THE HOSPITAL ON TIME. >> Reporter: 19 ELDERLY SIDENTS DIED HERE AT GATEWAY. >> MY GRANDMOTHER WAS THE SECOND ROOM FROM THE END. THAT'S THE LAST TIME WE SAW HER ALIVE. >> Reporter: THE UNION CITY COUNCILMEMBER JAIME SAID HE WAS LUCKY TOALK TO HIS GRANDMA EMMA THROUGH THE WINDOW OF HER ROOM. THREE DAYS LATER SHE DIED ALONE IN THE HOSPITAL. >> THAT WAS A VERY HARD THING. A LOT OF TEARS. A LOT OF CRYING. >> Reporter: TODAY HE WANTS ACTION TAKEN AGAINST NURSING HOMES WIT SERIOUS SAFETY LAPSES. >> THERE SHOULD BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY HERE. THESE WERE COMMON SENSE THINGS THAT WE ALL KNEW. >> Reporter: SO FAR, HOWEVER, GATEWAY HAS NOT FACED ANY PENALTIES EVEN THOUGH HOUSE INSPECTORS FOUND LAST YEAR THAT MANAGEMENT FAILED TO PROPERLY SCREEN AND PROTECT STAFF FROM THE VIRUS. AND EVEN LET ONE SICK WORKER STAY ON THE JOB. IN ALL, MORE THAN 75 RESIDENTS AND STAFF WERE INFECTED. THE OWNERS WHO RECENTLY RENAMED THE FACILITY ST. PATRICK'S POST ACUTE NEVER RESPONDED TO OUR INTERVIEW REQUEST. >> I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY HAD CHANGED THE SIGN, THE NAME. >> Reporter: OUR REVIEW INSPECTION RECORDS FOUND THAT 17 OF THE 20 NURSING HOMES WITH THE MOST DEATHS LIKE GATEWAY HAD AT LEAST ONE COVID-RELATED VIOLATION. SO FAR ONLY FOUR HAVE BEEN FINED FOR THE MANY LAPSES THE REGULATORS FOUND. EVEN IN THE FOUR INSTANCES WHERE THEY FOUND IT POSED MAJOR IMMEDIATE HEALTH HAZARDS. REGULATORS HAVE ONLY SOUGHT FINES IN ONE CASE SO FAR. >> I THINK WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, THERE WASN IMMEDIATE KNEE JERK DESIRE TO DO SOMETHING. >> Reporter: MICHAEL WATTMAN SAID IT IS NOT THE ANSWER. HE SAID THE STATE NEEDS TO LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE CARE. >> A SYSTEM WHERE WE PULL MONEY OUT OF A POORLY PERFORMING NURSING HOME IS NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT HASN'T SOLVED THAT PROBLEM BEFORE. >> MOST OF THESE DEATHS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. >> Reporter: BUT UCSF, SHE SPECIALIZES IN NURSING HOME SAFETY WORRIES ABOUT THE FALLOUT FROM LAX ENFORCEMENT EARLY ON. >> I THINK IF WE MADE AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE WORST VIOLATORS EARLY ON, THAT WOULD HAVE SENT A MESSAGE. >> Reporter: THE STATE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS SIMPLY FINING HOMES COULD HAVE BEEN COUNTER PRODUCTIVE. WE NEEDED TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO SAVE AS MANY LIVES AS WE COULD, ADDING THERE IS STILL A CHANCE THAT FINES COULD BE LEVIED. >> AN IGNORED AND FORGOTTEN POPULATION FOR DECADES. >> Reporter: STATE SENATOR HENRY STERN IS PUSHING A PACKAGE OF BILLS. HE WANT MORE TRANSPARENCY AND TIENT SAFETY PROTECTION. >> WE'VE GOT TO FIX SOME OF THE UNDERLYING STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS IN THE SYSTEM AND HAVE SOME CONSEQUENCES OUT THERE WHEN FOLKS CUT CORNERS. >> Reporter: AFTER LOSING HIS GRANDMOTHER, HE WANTS KEEP ALL OPTIONS ON THE TABLE. >> WE NEED TRANSPARENCY, STIFFER PENALTIES, AND FOR DAMN SURE, I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY LEGISLATION THAT WILL GIVE THESE NURSING HOMES IMMUNITY. >> Reporter: NBC BAY AREA NEWS. >> IF YOU HAVE A STORY TIP FOR US, GIVE US A CALL.

Channel: NBC Bay Area

Views: 10,233

Rating: 4.9076924 out of 5

Keywords: COVID-19, Investigative Unit, Investigations, nursing homes, Bay Area, Bay Area news, coronavirus

Id: Gx9eF3oBa5s

Length: 4min 9sec (249 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 18 2021