U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb: Investigate state health department over coronavirus oversight at Brighton Rehab

U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb on Tuesday renewed his criticism of the Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Beaver County, calling for an additional investigation into how the Pennsylvania Department of Health oversaw the facility during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter dated Monday to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Lamb, a Democrat from Mt. Lebanon whose district includes all of Beaver County, cited concerns about a federal investigation at the facility in May that found problems with infection control and yielded at least $62,000 in fines.

He also criticized the state health department’s response to its own inspection report, released last week, that showed Brighton administered hydroxychloroquine to residents in April without state approval.

“At this point, the Pennsylvania Department of Health does not appear to have imposed any accountability or punishment on Brighton for the use of hydroxychloroquine without permission,” Lamb said in the letter. “For this reason, I request you investigate the state’s response to this unnecessary tragedy at Brighton.”

In a statement provided Wednesday, health department officials said the department “will continue to follow the legal processes set forth in federal and state statutes and regulations” in its oversight of nursing homes.

“There is an established legal process in place to ensure that all skilled nursing facilities, including Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center, are held accountable to provide safe patient care and living conditions,” the statement said. “The department has completed eight inspections at Brighton since April 2020, the results of which are all publicly available on our website. Three of the surveys found that the facility was not in compliance with our statutes and regulations, and plans of correction were submitted by the operators and accepted by the department. Our priority remains ensuring that facilities fix the issues that are in violation of state law for the health and safety of residents.”

Lamb first contacted CMS on May 7 to request an investigation of Brighton’s performance during the coronavirus pandemic.

At least 73 Brighton residents have died and more than 300 have been infected since the start of the pandemic in March, according to data updated Tuesday by the health department. It is one of the most severe coronavirus outbreaks in a long-term care facility nationwide.

Hydroxychloroquine, typically used to treat malaria, was administered to 205 of the 435 residents of Brighton Rehab as of April 29, according to a June 18 inspection report recently made public by the health department.

The inspection report includes a plan of correction, written by Brighton, that indicates the facility is no longer administering the treatment to residents.

The report does not included any information about the outcome of residents who received the treatment.

When asked at the time whether any other investigations related to Brighton’s use of hydroxychloroquine have been launched, a health department spokesperson said that the department does not comment on potential investigations.

Any fines against the facility will be posted to the health department website as they move through the appeal and finalization process, which could take several months, the spokesperson said.