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How Does Wisconsin Regulate Nursing Homes?

The state of Wisconsin has many laws and regulations in place that govern the operation of nursing homes. Under Wisconsin law, a nursing home is any place where five or more persons reside, who are not related to the operator or administrator, and receive care and treatment and, as a result of their physical or mental condition, require access to 24-hour nursing services, including limited, intermediate, and skilled nursing care.

All nursing homes and similar facilities in the state of Wisconsin are subject to these laws. In addition to legal responsibilities, consumers can examine reports related to the care that individuals received at various nursing homes in order to better assess which facility might be right for their loved ones. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services provides several tools, including a provider search and detailed information about each facility, which is designed to help consumers make decisions about long-term care for their family members.

The Division of Quality Assurance (DQA), which is an office within the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of Wisconsin nursing home residents. If you believe that a nursing home facility has violated any laws or provided substandard care, you can file a complaint with DQA about the facility. In order to file a complaint, you can contact your DQA Regional Office directly, call DQA toll-free at 1-800-642-6552. In addition to or instead of filing a complaint with DQA, you can contact officials at the nursing home in question about your concerns, contact the long-term care ombudsman, who responds to complaints about residents of long-term care facilities who are over the age of 60.

You entrust your loved one to the nursing home so that he or she is properly cared for. When that facility fails to provide your loved one with an even basic level of reasonable care, it is likely that negligence occurred, which may make that facility liable for the resulting injuries. If you find yourself in this situation, you may be entitled to compensation for the losses that you or your family member has suffered. Contact our Wisconsin nursing home abuse attorneys at Boller & Vaughan and learn what we can do for you and your family.