Wallingford Nursing Home Ordered To Transfer Residents: State DPH

WALLINGFORD, CT — Nearly 100 residents are being transferred from the Quinnipiac Valley Center in Wallingford due to the facility’s “repeated and ongoing failure to correct serious and widespread health and safety issues,” state health officials announced Monday.

Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani has ordered the immediate transfer of 94 residents from the Quinnipiac Valley Center, a 180-bed skilled nursing facility on Kondracki Lane in Wallingford.

State health officials are working with the Connecticut Attorney General’s office and the state’s Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, and an assigned temporary manager, to facilitate “safe and appropriate transfers for all the residents,” according to a news release. “DPH has activated the Long-Term Care Mutual Aid Program to help identify other skilled nursing facilities with available beds.”

The state Department of Public Health conducted a complaint investigation survey at the Quinnipiac Valley Center, which is owned by the Genesis Corporation, on Feb. 10.

The survey resulted in two findings of “Immediate Jeopardy, meaning the violations are serious enough to risk imminent harm to life,” according to the news release. The DPH directed a plan of correction that included the appointment of the temporary manager on March 3.

“The temporary manager reported to DPH additional issues with the facility, including, among other things, systemic problems with medication errors,” the news release states. “DPH has since identified five more instances of Immediate Jeopardy related to failure to administer medications appropriately and accurately to residents and failure to report adverse incidents to DPH.”

The facility has been experiencing “significant failures with infection control,” according to the release.

See also: Wallingford Nursing Home Deaths Prompted Investigation: Report

“Any instance of Immediate Jeopardy is troubling, and most facilities can correct these deficiencies relatively quickly and successfully,” Juthani said in a statement. “Seven instances of Immediate Jeopardy are unprecedented in Connecticut and absolutely unacceptable. We have given QVC ample time to correct the issues and DPH staff have been monitoring the facility almost daily. We no longer have confidence that the facility can keep its residents safe. Moving people from their homes on short notice is a serious action that we do not take lightly. But we are convinced that this order is necessary to ensure the safety of all the residents there.”

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said the transfer order is a “rare and extreme measure, reflecting severe standard of care concerns at Quinnipiac Valley Center.”

“The findings regarding patient neglect, staffing, infection control measures, medication administration and their lack of leadership led to a finding of imminent harm by Commissioner Juthani, leaving the state no choice but to intervene,” Tong said. “Our Health and Education Section is continuing to provide legal support to the Commissioner.”