January 20, 2000

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Mercy Health Care Rehabilitation Center $10,000 (Statement of Violation) for failure to provide adequate supervision to prevent a resident elopement. The 259-bed skilled care facility is located at 19000 Halsted St. in Homewood.

A Department investigation found that an 84-year-old resident left the facility unnoticed and was found by police 1½ miles away. He had climbed over a fence and crossed a heavily traveled street with no sidewalk. The resident, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease and confusion, had been identified as a elopement risk. On the day of this incident, he had made three previous attempts to leave the facility. He is believed to have left through an exit door with a malfunctioning alarm. He was returned to the facility with minor scratches and a puncture wound to his left hand.

The facility implemented a plan of correction that included replacement of outside alarms and the addition of alarms that connect to fire and emergency circuits. To be added to the outside doors is a secondary alarm that will sound at nurses' stations for those units that have residents at risk of wandering.

Mercy Health Care Rehabilitation Center has requested a hearing on the Department's action. A hearing date has not been scheduled.

Illinois Department of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments