State suspends Portland nursing home license over virus care

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — State officials are ordering a Portland nursing home with the largest and most fatal coronavirus outbreak in Oregon to close.

The move comes after Department of Human Services officials found that Healthcare at Foster Creek “demonstrated a consistent inability to adhere to basic infection control standards,” The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

The nursing homes “continued operation poses a serious danger to the public health and safety,” the agency said in a letter signed Monday. Officials said Tuesday in a statement that the department ordered an emergency suspension of the facility’s license.

“We have worked on multiple strategies to contain the COVID-19 outbreak at Healthcare at Foster Creek and have concluded that moving all residents is mandatory at this stage,” said Mike McCormick, interim director of the department’s Office of Aging and People with Disabilities, which licenses long-term care facilities.

About 117 residents and staff at Foster Creek have fallen ill with the coronavirus and at least 28 residents have died as of Tuesday, according to state data. The facility didn’t immediately respond to a phone call from The Associated Press seeking comment.

In mid-April, Department of Human Services’ inspectors found staff violating protocols necessary to contain infections. At that time, the department created a lengthy list of requirements for the nursing home to improve practices and evacuated 20 people to local hospitals.

The department will evacuate the few remaining residents, officials said. A suspension means the nursing home could be allowed to reopen at a later time.