VDH: No requirement for health care facilities to post COVID-19 data
HENRICO, Va. (WWBT) - Two long-term care facilities in Henrico now say they will not discuss COVID-19 related deaths.
Beth Sholom announced Thursday it has been their longstanding policy. This comes after NBC12 spoke with a family who said their loved one died of coronavirus there.
Meanwhile, Canterbury Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, which has had nearly 50 deaths, said it will no longer comment on cases or deaths.
“The Canterbury team appreciates the interest regional media have in covering the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Administrator Jeremiah Davis. “However, due to the ongoing intensity of inquiries directed at our facility, providing regular updates and responding to all media requests has become increasingly difficult as we continue to focus on our sole priority: attending to the residents in our care.”
According to the Virginia Department of Health, these facilities are not required to publicly post COVID-19 cases and deaths within their facility.
However, some families with loved ones at these types of health care facilities feel transparency is necessary to ensure other residents and family’s safety.
“It hurts me for my dad who passed away,” said Deborah Vuturo. “They're saying they haven't had any deaths or they aren't reporting any. That's disgusting and not true. People should know."
Vuturo said her 81-year-old father Robert Accomando died at Beth Sholom Tuesday afternoon after his recent diagnosis with COVID-19.
However, per the facility’s policy it will not report any deaths or the number of positive cases at the facility to the public.
“While the number of COVID-19 cases is important for our families to know about, we see the loss of life as a sacred and family matter that is private and should not be publicized, although reporting is made to appropriate authorities," a news release said.
According to the state health department, these facilities don’t have to provide that information.
“I would have to defer to the administrators of those nursing homes,” said Dr. Norman Oliver with VDH. “I would hope that they would do what’s best for the residents in the nursing homes and for their loved ones and family.”
As it stands there is no requirement that would force these facilities to make that data public.
However, Oliver said the health department is looking at a possible change in who would get this information.
"I am considering, and have in some particular instances, released that information to other nursing homes,” he said.
Oliver explained that’s because of the large number of health care workers who work at multiple facilities.
“In that kind of situation if you have an outbreak, I think it’s needed that we need to let other nursing homes know,” he said.
But Vuturo is adamant that transparency to other families and the public is necessary when dealing with this pandemic.
“We can’t go there and find out what’s going on,” she said. “We depend on them to give us the information and let us know what’s going on. It’s a horrible thing when you can’t be with the person you love, and they pass away and you can’t be with them.”
Oliver added the health department is also following the Code of Virginia.
"It says I can’t release information from a doctor or a facility without their agreement,” he said.
When Governor Ralph Northam was asked why that section of the code could not be revised during this pandemic he said it would require action by our state lawmakers.
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