PHOENIX — An embattled Phoenix long-term care facility where an incapacitated woman was raped and later gave birth is now under state supervision.
The Arizona Department of Health Services said Friday that Hacienda HealthCare officially entered into a voluntary agreement to follow a slew of strict requirements. They include hiring a third-party monitor, making daily patient welfare checks and providing a $50,000 deposit to help pay for any necessary transfer of residents.
The agreement marks the culmination of months of turmoil since a patient gave birth to a baby boy at the facility in December and a male nurse was arrested. Hacienda officials had planned last month to close down the entire unit, which would have meant finding new homes for nearly 40 residents. But the state contested the decision.
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“We understand we have work to do restoring our credibility with the State, with Hacienda residents and their families, and with the public,” said Perry Petrilli, Hacienda’s acting Chief Executive Officer. “This agreement marks an important first step, because it allows Hacienda and our nearly 800 employees to partner with the State to show how serious we are about delivering the best possible medical care under the safest possible conditions.”
Hacienda is expected to submit a written plan that details the future of the ICF and SNF units. The company says that there has been no impact on patient care from any of the many recent personnel changes.
“From the first moment we learned about a tragic assault, a pregnancy and a birth at Hacienda, we have been focused on one thing – living up to the commitment we made to provide the best possible medical care to residents, and keeping them safe,” said Gary Orman, the President of the Board. “We can never again let down the residents we care for or their families. We understand that some people believe we aren’t the right Board for this task. Respectfully, we hope to work as hard as we can for as long as we can to prove them wrong.”
