Arizona Moves to Strip Hacienda HealthCare of its License After Patient’s Wound Found Covered in Maggots

Ryan J. Farrick — June 19, 2019

Bandages. Image via Pixnio/user:Kelly Thomas, USCDCP. Public domain.

Hacienda recently created a media firestorm after one of its nurses impregnated a severely disabled patient.

State officials are likely to revoke the license of Arizona-based Hacienda HealthCare, after a patient’s bandaged wound was found covered in maggots.

Hacienda HealthCare, notes CBS News, has garnered bad press for months. Earlier in the year, a nurse was charged with raping an incapacitated patient at the same facility. The woman, housed at the Hacienda HealthCare De Los Angeles’ Intermediate Care Facility for the Intellectually Disabled (ICF-IID) in Phoenix, later gave birth.

According to CBS, Hacienda HealthCare spokesperson David Leibowitz has admitted that a 28-year old patient was found to have “several” maggots beneath a gauze bandage.

The festering wound was reported to an oversight agency, says Leibowitz, and the patient was taken to a proper hospital for treatment. He says no further issues were identified, either with the affected individual or other Hacienda residents.

Between the rape, poorly dressed wounds and other allegations, the Arizona Department of Health Services may take action. DHS spokesperson Chris Minnick told CBS the state intends to revoke Hacienda ICF-IID’s license as soon as possible.

“Based on findings from a recent survey and an extremely disturbing incident involving inadequate patient care that was reported to and investigated by ADHS this week, the Department has determined strong and immediate action is necessary to further protect the Hacienda ICF-IID residents,” Minnick said in a statement.

An unpleasant-looking hospital bed. One female patient at Hacienda HealthCare–who’d been severely incapacitated since the age of three–was raped repeatedly by a male nurse. She eventually gave birth. Image via Pixabay/user:PublicDomainPictures. Public domain.

The maggot infestation, notes the Department of Health’s Notice of Intent, was likely due to “inadequate and/or poor [redacted word] hygiene.”

AZCentral.com adds that the Notice of Intent grants the department increased oversight of Hacienda’s operations—but it doesn’t mean the facility will immediately shut down. In fact, Hacienda HealthCare De Los Angeles’ Intermediate Care Facility has about one month to respond to the state’s demands. The company could and may challenge the decision.

But, as AZCentral.com reports, Hacienda hasn’t yet made its intended course of action clear—the company didn’t respond to media questions about whether they’ll request a hearing.

However, Hacienda HealthCare—a non-profit—said it’s working with the state DHS to determine “the best path forward regarding the care” of ICF-IID residents.

“The Hacienda team continues to do everything possible to ensure that there exists no risk to the life, health or safety of any Hacienda resident,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Hacienda previously attracted national attention after authorities charged a Hacienda HealthCare nurse with sexually assaulting a patient. An in-house nurse, Nathan Sutherland, was charged with raping the 29-year old woman, who’d been “severely incapacitated” since the age of 3.

While the woman later gave birth, documents detailed by CNN suggest the woman had been “violated repeatedly” and may even have been pregnant before, too. If so, the Maricopa County Medical Center wasn’t able to determine if she’d carried a child to term.

The victim’s parents have filed a lawsuit and are seeking close to $40 million in damages.