Rehabilitation hospitals are meant to help patients who need a longer period to recover from surgery and certain injuries. Unfortunately, a new report shows that these facilities may not provide adequate care for patients.
The Department of Health and Human Services recently released a report stating that nearly 30 percent of rehab hospital patients suffer injuries due to inadequate care. This is devastating news for patients and their families, who trust these facilities to help loved ones heal.
The issues are similar to hospital and nursing home problems
The causes of rehab hospital injuries echo those in hospitals and nursing homes. Negligence and substandard care in all three types of facilities tend to result in similar problems for patients, including:
- Medication errors
- Falls
- Bedsores
- Infection
Any of these things may cause serious or fatal injuries, especially to a population of elderly, ill or injured people. In fact, some injured rehab patients need to go back to the hospital for treatment for their new injury.
According to doctors who analyzed a sampling of Medicare cases from rehab hospitals, nearly half of the injuries could or should have been preventable. This raises questions about the quality of care people receive at such facilities.
In rehab facilities, nursing homes and hospitals, lack of supervision, failure to properly monitor patients and failure to follow a doctor’s orders are common reasons for injury. Understaffing, lack of training and improper credentialing can add to the problems.
If you or a family member receives negligent care at any of these types of facilities, speak with a lawyer. You may be able to seek compensation for medical bills and pain and suffering.