Insights

"Legal Labyrinth: Nursing homes face plethora of questions in wake of pandemic," Columbia Regional Business Report and Lexington County Chronicle

Posted On April 27, 2021

In an article published in Columbia Regional Business Report and Lexington County Chronicle, Partner Kelli Sullivan discusses how nursing homes are struggling to keep up with the changing landscape amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One of the big challenges for the facilities has been dealing with the almost-constant rule and regulation change,” explains Sullivan. “(Guidance) from the CDC and Medicare changed literally every week, and so that was quite a challenge. Once you implement something, if it changes two or three days later, it’s a little bit like turning the Titanic. (But) I think the lessons we’ve learned, if we handle them well and take what we’ve learned, could really ultimately in the long run improve the industry.”

Sullivan further explains that although this was a rough year for nursing homes it has made all facilities very aware of their weak spots. “Nursing homes would be well-served to put into place lessons learned during the pandemic, even as they await any potential legal fallout from the COVID-19 infections and deaths at facilities."

The best practices include revamped disaster planning, increasing staffing options through resources such as temp agencies, and a commitment to ensure everything is documented.

For the full article, click here.