Woodland Hills
Nursing Facility Cited For Health Violations
By Damian Kelly
Jul 19, 2012 - 4:10:27 PM

WOODLAND HILLS—The Motion Picture and Television Fund Skilled Nursing Units are among the 14 nursing homes that have been cited for health and safety violations in a report released by the California Attorney General.

The reports, which were published online by a patient advocacy group, also named Golden Cross Health Care and Sunrise Convalescent Hospital in Pasadena as the other nursing homes in California guilty of violations.

The Motion Picture & Television Fund. Photo courtesy of Flickr

From January 2010 to March 2012, a number of violations were found including residents left lying for hours in their own feces and urine, untreated bedsores, a resident with a maggot-infested wound, dirty facilities and fraudulent medical billing.

These violations were found after random inspections of skilled nursing facilities that receive Medi-Cal funding were conducted.  A spokeswoman from the Attorney General’s office has said the findings from the investigation which was nicknamed Operation Guardian, have been turned over to California’s Department of Public Health for further investigation and possible enforcement actions.

The report’s findings concern patient advocates who say lax standards and oversight by the Department of Public Health has left California nursing home patients vulnerable to inhumane treatment.  They claim the department has issued only one citation so far in cases that are up to two years old.

The Department of Public Health issued a statement in response to the accusations saying that ensuring safety and quality care in licensed healthcare facilities is a top priority and the agency is currently reviewing the files for each of the 14 facilities.