Oklahoma Working Toward Changing Nursing Home Abuse Reporting Practices - UPDATE
We discussed Oklahoma's abuse reporting requirements in a previous blog.
Wes Bledsoe and A Perfect Cause have been working to increase accountability at state-regulated nursing homes. It seems that Oklahoma is listening.
As of July 2008, the Oklahoma Health Department requires that nursing home employees call law enforcement if any criminal activity is suspected. The new requirements will make sure that abuse is documented and those committing criminal acts will be held responsible.
Henry Hartsell of Oklahoma Protective Health Services says, "It is a self-reporting requirement...but there's a facility license that's potentially at jeopardy if the facility fails to report as required." Doctors, nurses, and other licensed workers are also at risk for having their licenses suspended or revoked for failure to report.
