Daughters concerned about amount of time doctors spend in nursing homes
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Doctors are only required to visit new residents in skilled nursing facilities within 30 days of admission, and only twice within 90 days, according to federal rules sent to CBS 6 by the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Licensure.
That means a resident could be discharged from a hospital to a rehab center in a fragile state and never be seen by a doctor before they leave, whether to go back to the hospital or home.
That appears to be what happened to Kathy Stiltoner.
“We are our mother's voice, and I'm glad you're letting us tell mom's side of the story,” said Kaitlyn Cothron, one of Kathy’s daughters.
Even when Stiltoner’s body started to betray her in 2022 due to chronic diabetes and painful osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone, her daughters held out hope she would regain her mobility.
They agreed that a skilled rehab facility would help her reach that goal.
“Once they fixed the MRSA, they wanted her to go to Westport for skilled rehab for her to be able to use her hands and legs,” said Brittney Marine, another one of Kathy’s daughters.
Stiltoner entered Westport Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Henrico on November 30 of that year.
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