Advocates say more scrutinty needed of Florida's coronovirus isolation centers

More scrutiny needed of Florida coronavirus isolation centers, seniors' advocates say Some COVID-19 isolation centers, meant to protect elderly, have prior low-ratings. ABC News ABC News

Advocates for nursing home residents have raised concerns that some facilities being used by Florida officials as isolation units for those who test positive for the coronavirus have a checkered history of citations. Despite official assurances that the facilities have been fully vetted, it's a move they say could further endanger those who are already highly vulnerable.

“Some of these centers are nursing homes that have been repeatedly fined or sued for negligent acts, including failing to institute adequate infection and disease control precautions,” said David Brevda, an attorney at the Boca Raton-based Senior Justice Law Firm. “We are dealing with numerous COVID-19 cases, and we have seen clients put into these amorphous 'isolation' centers. The rules and regulations governing these facilities are fast and ever-changing.”

Four of the 23 Florida facilities set aside to serve as isolation centers for elderly coronavirus patients are on the American Health Care Association’s watch list for either failing to comply with the state’s minimum standards or operating under bankruptcy protection during the past 30 months. They are among the seven isolation facilities being used that currently hold ratings of “below average” by Medicare. One of the nursing homes, Avante at Boca Raton, was fined for more than $76,000 for various infractions in 2019.

Florida has been a hot spot for the virus in recent weeks, averaging more than 3,000 new positive cases a day, though the figure has been falling since a peak last month. More than 4,000 of the state’s 10,500 coronavirus-related deaths have occurred at long-term care facilities.

As the outbreak worsened, Florida Gov. Ron De Santis adopted a different approach to nursing homes infections than the one used by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has faced criticism for directing nursing homes in the state to let residents return after being hospitalized for COVID-19. New York has reported more than 6,600 deaths at long-term care facilities, out of a total of 32,000 fatalities.

In Florida, DeSantis called for the establishment of special COVID-19 isolation centers to serve people in need of long-term care services who have contracted the virus. Some isolation centers have been set apart in dedicated wings within a larger facility, while others are now in standalone facilities. All are supposed to provide clinical monitoring and isolation to patients from hospitals, long-term care facilities or local communities until they can safely return to their assisted living facility and nursing home....