Speech draft regarding elderly, August 10, 1977

DRAFT To: Eileen Brookman (for possible use in accepting the National Award in Virginia on August 10, 1977) IT IS INDEED NO SECRET THAT THE NETWORK ON HEALTH CARE IN THE UNITED STATES AS A WHOLE, DOES NOT RATE WELL IN PUBLIC OPINION - L E T ' S SAY ON A SCALE OF 10. MANY FACTS HAVE BEEN ASCERTAINED CONCERNING MONETARY ABUSE OF FEDERALLY SUPPORTED PROGRAMS SUCH AS MEDICARE AND MEDICAID. ALTHOUGH THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN AND ACCEPTED FACT IT APPEARS THAT LITTLE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN RECTIFYING WHAT APPEARS TO BE AGAIN A VERY POOR AND SAD SITUATION, FOR MANY YEARS NOW IT HAS BEEN ONE OF MY PRIME OBJECTIVES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND CARE OF OUR ELDERLY AT ALL LEVELS OF HEALTH CARE IN THE STATE OF NEVADA, I FEEL SOMEWHAT PLEASED BECAUSE I HAVE AN ADVANTAGE BEING FROM WHAT IS CONSIDERED A RURAL POPULOUS STATE THAT OUR PROBLEMS IN THE HEALTH CARE FIELD ARE MUCH LESS IN MAGNITUDE WHEN COMPARED TO THE LARGER POPULOUS STATES OF OUR NATION. IN NEVADA WE CAN REFER TO FOUR MAIN IDENTITIES AIMED AT IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND CARE OF PATIENTS IN A HEALTH CARE SITUATION. ONE BEING THE BUREAU OF HEALTH F A C I L I T I E S THAT IS RESPONSIBLE BY LAW AND REGULATION FOR THE LICENSING OF A HEALTH CARE F A C I L I T Y . TWO BEING THE STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS FOR THE LICENSING OF NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATORS. THREE BEING THE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID MEDICAL REVIEW UNIT OF THE STATE WELFARE D I V I S I O N . AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE STATE D I V I S I O N FOR AGING SERVICES NURSING HOME OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM. I AM SURE THAT MOST OF YOU ARE WELL AWARE THAT EACH STATE HAS I N I T I A T E D A NURSING HOME OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM FOR THE MAIN PURPOSE OF " I " ADVOCATING THE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL FOR SERVICES IN HEALTH CARE WITHIN A NURSING F A C I L I T Y AND ALSO INVESTIGATING AND RECTIFYING COMPLAINTS OF ABUSED AND NEGLECTED ELDERLY WITHIN A NURSING F A C I L I T Y . A T THE LAST SESSION OF OUR STATE LEGISLATURE WE PASSED ASSEMBLY B I L L #33 FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE D I V I S I O N FOR AGING SERVICES DIRECT AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE ALL HEALTH CARE F A C I L I T I E S AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT. THIS L E G I S L A T I O N HAS ALREADY HAD AN IMPACT ON THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY IN NEVADA AS EVIDENCED BY INFORMATION REPORTED TO ME FROM THE D I V I S I O N FOR AGING SERVICES. IT HAS BEEN THE ADMINISTRATOR'S PHILOSOPHY OF THE DIVISION FOR AGING SERVICES NOT TO WORK AGAINST THE INDUSTRY, BUT TO WORK WITH IT - WHICH I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE. AS AN EXAMPLE YOU SEE HERE A NOTICE INFORMING ANYONE IN REGARDS TO PATIENT CARE WITHIN A F A C I L I T Y THAT IF THEY HAVE A COMPLAINT THAT THEY SHOULD FIRST TAKE THE COMPLAINT TO THE LICENSED ADMINISTRATOR OF SUCH F A C I L I T Y AND IF SUCH COMPLAINT CANNOT BE RECTIFIED THEN SUCH PERSON OR PERSONS ARE TO CONTACT THE NURSING HOME OMBUDSMAN OF THE STATE OF NEVADA. THESE NOTICES ARE PLACED ON APPROPRIATE DISPLAYS WITHIN F A C I L I T I E S IN THE STATE OF NEVADA. IF ANY OF YOU HERE TODAY ARE INTERESTED I WOULD BE MOST HAPPY TO SUPPLY YOU WITH A COPY OF A . B . 33/ A COPY OF THE NOTICE JUST MENTIONED AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY DESIRE AND CAN BE ASCERTAINED BY ME. I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATE SO MUCH THIS OUTSTANDING AWARD THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED ME WITH. I SHALL CHERISH IT ALWAYS AND I THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. - 2 -