Beverly Nursing Homes Pass First Round Of State Inspections

BEVERLY, MA — All three of Beverly's long-term care facilities were deemed "in adherence" in the first round of inspections by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Statewide, 12 nursing homes scored under the 20-point threshold needed to be deemed "in adherence", while 119 scored 20 points but failed in one of the six core standards, meaning they were also found to be in noncompliance. The remaining 228 nursing homes scored 20 points or higher and met the six core standards.

The inspections were the first in the COVID-19 Nursing Facility Accountability and Support Program announced by Gov. Charlie Baker on April 27. The audits, which are funded by $130 million the Baker administration allocated to slow the spread of the coronavirus in nursing homes, will be conducted every two weeks.

Don't miss updates about precautions in your area as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

The Beverly nursing homes included in the report were:

• Blueberry Hill Rehab & Healthcare Center: 27 points.
• CareOne at Essex Park: 26 points.
• Ledgewood Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Center: 28 points.

"Beginning in March, CareOne gathered emerging standards, protocols, and best practices for protecting and treating at-risk populations from the novel coronavirus. This approach coupled with its early experience with the virus led CareOne to develop its COVID-Capable℠ model of care, which is used at its post-acute nursing, assisted living and long-term care facilities," CareOne said in a statement. The company's complete statement is published at the bottom of this article.

The state didn't release a breakdown of scores for individual nursing homes showing where they failed to comply with the standards laid out in the program's compliance checklist.

Long-term care facilities account for 61 percent coronavirus-related deaths in Massachusetts. Of the states 88,970 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Wednesday, 18,801 were either patients or workers in long-term care facilities.

Read the complete nursing home inspection report.

Complete statement from CareOne:

"Beginning in March, CareOne gathered emerging standards, protocols, and best practices for protecting and treating at-risk populations from the novel coronavirus. This approach coupled with its early experience with the virus led CareOne to develop its COVID-Capable℠ model of care, which is used at its post-acute nursing, assisted living and long-term care facilities.

"CareOne’s Chief Medical Officer, along with CareOne’s infectious disease experts, played central roles in developing and managing our COVID-19 preparedness and response efforts. Our Infection Preventionists manage COVID-19 surveillance and oversee implementation of infection control measures. Our regimen includes frequent respiratory assessments, daily respiratory treatments, and rigorous, focused nursing assessments for every COVID-positive patient. Additional steps include standard hydration procedures (including IV fluids as indicated), baseline and follow-up EKGs for all patients, and focused restorative eating when symptoms such as cough, nausea and lethargy are present.

"CareOne’s COVID-Capable℠ model is part of a broader effort to elevate and advance the standard of coronavirus care in the skilled nursing and long-term care sector. CareOne’s courageous caregivers work every day to ensure that residents and patients in senior life facilities are properly protected and cared for throughout the pandemic."

More Coronavirus Coverage On Massachusetts Patch:

• What Return To Work Will Look Like For Office Workers
• When Salon Reopens, It Won't Be Business As Usual
• Essex County Jail Population Down 17 Percent Since Court Order
• Coronavirus Case Counts For Every Massachusetts Town (Updated May 20)

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).