SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Eldorado Care Center $5,000 (Statement of Violation), for failure to prevent a resident from leaving the facility unsupervised. The 70-bed skilled care facility is located at Third and Railroad streets in Eldorado.

As part of an incident report investigation, Department surveyors learned a resident, who was at risk for leaving the facility, wandered away unnoticed.

Once staff realized the resident was missing, a search was conducted and police were notified. The resident was located about two hours later at a gas station eight miles from the facility.

Shortly after returning to the facility, the resident was seen going out the dining room window. Staff chased after the resident and returned him to the facility. Later that day, the resident was transferred to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

The Department-ordered plan of correction required the facility to revise care plans to reflect residents'current needs, to educate all staff in their role of providing care to and monitoring of residents, and to document any change in a resident's behavior.

Eldorado Care Center did not request a hearing on the Department's action.