On hold in Arizona.A month-long investigation into the death of an 86-year-old resident at Phoenix's SunBridge (formerly SunRise) Thunderbird thunderbird In North American Indian mythology, a powerful spirit in the form of a bird that watered the earth and made vegetation grow. Lightning was believed to flash from its eyes or beak, and the beating of its wings was thought to represent rolling thunder. Rehabilitation and Care Center has left the facility with only a provisional license, which will expire on October 31. Resident Mary Miles, who had Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (ăls`hī'mərz, ôls–), degenerative disease of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex that leads to atrophy of the brain and senile dementia. , was taken to the hospital with second- and third-degree burns third-degree burns npl → brûlures fpl au troisième degré third-degree burns third npl → Verbrennungen pl dritten Grades after being left unattended on an outdoor patio. She died June 6 from her injuries. Also spurring the state review were 20 fights that broke out among residents in the behavioral health unit from April 9 to June 8, injuring 11. The investigation failed to prove that Miles was left outside for more than hour but found violations of nine state regulations, including inadequate supervision and monitoring in the Alzheimer's unit. SunBridge officials dispute the findings and have filed a plan of correction with the state, the first move in regaining regular licensure. In addition to a further review of the Miles case by a peer review organization peer review organization Professional review organization, qualilty improvement organization Managed care An independent or sponsored group of physicians or other appropriate peers–eg, allied health professionals who conduct pre-admission, continued stay, , the Health Services health services Managed care The benefits covered under a health contract Advisory Group, SunBridge faces a police investigation. A SunBridge press release quoting one of the nation's top burn experts, David M. Heimbach, MD, of the Burn Center at the University of Washington in Seattle, blames Miles' injuries on an autoimmune reaction called toxic epidermalnecrolysis, also known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome Ste·vens-John·son syndrome n. A severe inflammatory eruption of the skin and mucous membranes, usually occurring in children and young adults following a respiratory infection or as an allergic reaction to drugs or other substances. . The condition is an extremely rare side effect of bactrim, a drug that Miles had taken in early May. The chances of developing the syndrome are about 1 in 100,000. |
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