RICHMOND,
Va. (WWBT) - Steven Brown says medical professionals put his life in
jeopardy when Bonview Rehabilitation and Healthcare in Richmond, threw
him out on the street.
On
Your Side Investigator Diane Walker continues her look into the
allegations, including what Brown says happened to him last year.
Bonview
isn’t commenting except to say it’s not at liberty to discuss patients
and says they’re focused on keeping patients safe and protected during
the pandemic.
Walker
started investigating Bonview last year after several people called her
about problems that they say they reported but couldn’t get anyone to
take action. Walker has the findings of an unannounced Medicare-Medicaid
investigation confirming some complaints Brown told her.
Resident
#6 was in “immediate jeopardy,” wrote the state - discharged against
his will, in an unsafe manner despite his pending appeal. Resident #6 is
Steven Brown in the state’s October 16, 2019 inspection.
“When you go through something like this, it’s kind of horrific,” Brown said.
The
legally blind Navy veteran, diagnosed with major depressive disorder,
anxiety disorder, hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis, relies on a
rollator to steady his steps and keep from falling says when Bonview
evicted him, he lived the first day and a half homeless inside a
Walmart.
“It was very shameful so you kind of try to blend in,” Brown said.
Walker
sat down with Steven in his extended stay motel room last year after
that eviction, but many months would pass before the state investigated
what Steven says happened when John Bernadyn, the former Executive
Director, was in charge.
“I
was in the hallway. They walked up to me. He said, ‘Mr. Brown, today
you have to get out. After discussing it with my team, you have to go
right now,’” Brown said.
A group of seven he says confronted him aggressively, even the business office manager had words.
“She’s
standing in the door of the room saying, ‘we don’t want you here... Why
won’t you just leave’...She said, ‘I can guarantee you this tomorrow,
I’m going to call the police. They will get you out of here,’” Brown
said.
“And you left that day?" Walker asked.
“Yes. In the rain, pouring down,” Brown said.
“They didn’t care about where you were going? Did they make arrangements to send you someplace else?” Walker asked.
"No. No, Ma’am,” Brown said.
He
filed complaints with Bonview, its owner Consulate Healthcare and the
state telling their investigators the same accounts he told NBC12.
“Why did John [Bernadyn] put you out in the rain?” Walker asked.
“He targeted me because of things I would say. Things that were wrong,” Brown said.
Steven
says he advocated for his dying roommate and always spoke up when he
thought the nursing home was slipping. He says they grew tired of him
complaining and evicted him on a made-up allegation that he was
threatening to staff.
“I’m not a profane person. Because I’m 6′4”, 340 pounds, extremely dark. OK, I’m the boogie man," Brown said.
The
unannounced Medicare-Medicaid investigation found that Steven was not a
danger to anyone and his June 2019 discharge was a life-threatening
violation. In the report, the Director of Nursing admits a person thrown
out the way Steven was - could bottom out - could die.
According
to the report, Steven left with a male friend and did not disclose
where he was going. He was discharged with no glucometer, no physician’s
evaluation, no reason for discharge, no staff signature and with 50
tablets of Lorazepam, a controlled narcotic. Also in the report, Steven
called back asking for help with his medications. Employee P told Steven
it was not her area and she did not document or follow up with anyone
else at Bonview about his request for help.
The report states Bonview offered to readmit Steven four months after his eviction. He said no.
Bonview
was also cited in the report for contacting Social Security and
becoming the payee without Steven’s permission causing him to lose his
apartment and belongings because he couldn’t access his own money.
Bonview refunded him, but by then it was too late.
“They
had taken control of my check. My Social Security. I didn’t even know
they were getting that. They had changed me from physical therapy to
long-term. I didn’t even know this,” Brown said.
While it’s impossible to undo what was done to Steven, he still worries about others. One former resident in particular.
“There
was a man in there. He died. He died. I was in the building when it
happened. The CNA’s got fired. They tied him to the bed because I guess
they got tired of him falling or getting up. Tied this man to the
bed...You don’t tie a dog to nothing. That dog has life. You are going
to tie a human being to something? What’s going on in your mind?” Brown
said.
Walker
started digging through inspections during the time Steven was at
Bonview and found the March 1, 2019 inspection. A nurse discovered
Resident #1 restrained to his bed on Feb. 15 with sheets tied around his
waist and to both side bed rails. The inspection says the nurse and
former executive director reported it to the Board of Nursing and fired
the two CNA’s who did it - one says not to harm him but because she
couldn’t get work done when he wandered the halls.
Resident
#1 was 75-year-old Clifford Wayne Amos, an Alzheimer’s patient who died
six days after he was restrained. The report does not mention Amos'
death but says after he was untied, he was “immediately assessed and no
physical or psychological changes were noted.” Walker also found his
family and spoke with two members who say they are saddened and hope it
never happens to another family. They say Bonview told them he had been
restrained but Amos' family thought another patient had tied him up -
not two certified nursing assistants.
“It’s
like you’re just concerned about one thing, which is the profit. You
don’t care how many falls. You don’t care how many deaths. You don’t
care how many situations that you contribute to...Based on my
experience, it was deplorable. It was disgusting. What I’ve seen when
family members are not around. What those people go through in there.
It’s disgusting,” Brown said.
Steven
is homeless. Walker spoke with him just a few days ago. That night he
says he was sleeping in a friend’s car. The Navy veteran says he could
not afford the hotel room long-term and shelters don’t take blind
people.
Also,
the former executive director called Walker once after he no longer
worked for Bonview. The two agreed to meet but John Bernadyn did not
show up for that meeting. Again, Bonview and Consulate Healthcare have
declined to comment. There are state and federal laws that govern
discharge and restraining patients.
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