Press Releases
03/14/2022
Connecticut Department of Public Health issues emergency order to transfer patients from Quinnipiac Valley Center nursing homes to Wallingford
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 14, 2022
CONTACT: Chris Boyle—Director of Communications
(860) 706-9654 – christopher.boyle@ct.gov
HARTFORD, Conn. – Today, Manisha Juthani, MD, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), ordered the immediate transfer of 94 residents of Quinnipiac Valley Center (QVC), a 180-bed skilled nursing facility in Wallingford, for repeated and ongoing failure to correct serious and widespread health and safety issues.
DPH works with the Attorney General’s Office, the state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, and a designated temporary manager to facilitate safe and appropriate transfers for all residents. The DPH has activated the Long-Term Care Peer Support Program to help identify other qualified nursing facilities with available beds.
On February 10, 2022, DPH conducted an investigation into the complaints at QVC, which is owned by Genesis Corporation, which resulted in two findings of immediate danger, meaning the violations are serious enough to risk imminent danger to life. The DPH spearheaded a remediation plan that included the appointment of the temporary director on March 3. The Acting Director reported other issues with the facility to the DPH, including but not limited to systemic issues with medication errors. The DPH has since identified five other cases of immediate danger related to the failure to administer medication appropriately and accurately to residents and the failure to report adverse incidents to the DPH. The facility has had significant failures in infection control.
“Any situation of immediate danger is troubling, and most facilities can correct these shortcomings relatively quickly and successfully. Seven cases of immediate danger are unprecedented in Connecticut and absolutely unacceptable,” Commissioner Juthani said. “We have given QVC ample time to correct the issues and DPH staff are monitoring the facility almost daily. We are no longer confident that the facility can keep its residents safe. Moving people from their homes in the short term Notice is a serious action that we do not take lightly, but we believe this order is necessary to ensure the safety of all residents there.
“This Transfer order is a rare and extreme measure, reflecting serious standards of care issues at the Quinnipiac Valley Center. Findings regarding patient negligence, staffing, infection control measures, medication administration and their lack of leadership led to a finding of imminent harm by Commissioner Juthani, leaving the state with no no choice but to intervene. Our health and education section continues to provide legal support to the commissioner,” Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said.
General Law 19a-534 authorizes the DPH to transfer from one nursing facility to another nursing facility, residential care home, or hospital if the commissioner determines that there is imminent danger to the health, safety or welfare of any patient in a nursing facility.
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