Audit Confirms New York Nursing Home Deaths Were Hidden From the Public
An audit released Tuesday from New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli confirms that nursing home deaths in the state of New York were hidden from the public during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the audit, the Department of Health understated the number of deaths at nursing homes by as much as 50%.
From April 12, 2020, to Feb. 3, 2021, the department frequently changed its basis for the public reporting of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes versus reporting all deaths regardless of where they occurred, such as hospitals. They did this, according to the audit, with “virtually no explanation publicly as to why it changed.”
In total, for that 10-month period the department failed to account for approximately 4,100 lives lost due to COVID-19.
“Department officials said they would implement a performance monitoring program to conduct greater oversight of nursing homes where conditions affect the rights, quality of life, or health and safety of residents. However, we learned that this program was simply a trial and had since been abandoned. The department’s lack of commitment to rectify issues and be proactive speaks to the potential deficiencies in the overall control environment,” write the auditors.
The auditors do note that persistent underinvestment in public health over the last decade may have limited the department’s ability to prepare and respond in the most effective way.
Overall, the audit found that the department’s reporting of COVID-19–related nursing home deaths throughout the pandemic consistently lacked transparency, at times was inaccurate, inconsistent, incomplete and/or not amendable to analysis.
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