After elder-care facilities in Pennsylvania received a poor grade from the state inspector general's office for failing to investigate elder-abuse complaints, the PennLive editorial board is supporting a proposal that requires nursing homes to report deaths to coroners.
Scott Grim, Lehigh County, Pa., coroner and past president of the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners, proposed changing state law to require nursing homes and assisted-living facilities report all deaths to local coroners for possible investigation.
"It seems only logical that they would, but currently nursing homes and assisted-living facilities contact coroners only for deaths from suspected homicide, suicide or accidents, not those deemed to be the result of natural disease processes," the editorial board wrote.
The state already requires licensed medical personnel at nursing homes to conduct an examination when a resident dies, but deferring to this internal judgment system leaves a lot of gray area for a negligent nursing home to protect itself from independent review or the consequences of errors, the editorial board said.
Under Mr. Grim's proposal, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities would be required to call their local coroner regardless of the cause of death. The coroner would ask staff how the patient died, their medical history and whether they experienced any trauma. The coroner could also choose to examine the body, review medical records and conduct a full investigation if needed.
"Grim's proposal needs both the strong endorsement of the Pennsylvania Coroners Association and tireless legislative champions," the editorial board wrote. "This should not be a political risky proposal to get behind."