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Nursing homes and COVID-19: Searchable database now available

Posted at 8:06 PM, Jun 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-08 22:19:06-04

A new, searchable database covers COVID-19 case numbers at nursing homes around the country.

Five nursing homes in northeast Wisconsin have had at least one resident with confirmed COVID-19, according to the database.

Nursing homes are required to submit data on COVID-19 cases and deaths to the CDC, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, a federal agency.

CMS published that data on Thursday, calling it “preliminary.”

Nine northeast Wisconsin nursing homes missed the two most recent reporting deadlines, according to the database. Officials at most of those nine facilities were reached for comment.

Officials at Oakridge Gardens Rehabilitation & Memory Center in Menasha, Manawa Community Nursing Center in Manawa, and St. Paul Elder Services in Kaukauna disputed the database information and said information has been submitted.

“It doesn't look good for us, which is frustrating, when we have worked so hard to meet these expectations and these reporting requirements,” said Sondra Norder, president and CEO at St. Paul Elder Services.

Kewaunee Health Services in Kewaunee, Maple Lane Health Services in Shawano, and Green Bay Health Services in Green Bay are North Shore Healthcare centers. A statement from North Shore Healthcare said two of those facilities have since reported, while a third is working through a registration issue.

"While the system was showing a lack of reporting for some of our centers in the greater Green Bay area, this was not due to a lack of effort to uphold transparency and compliance through reporting,” reads part of the statement from North Shore Healthcare.

Brown County Community Treatment Center – Bayshore Village nursing home, which is owned by Brown County, had technical issues and will input the data when access is obtained, according to Erik Pritzl, executive director of the Brown County Health and Human Services Department.

A staff member at Recovery Inn, 2105 E. Enterprise Ave. in Appleton, is working on setting up a data registration and will report the information when that process is complete, Shaena Van Handel, executive director at the facility, said Monday.

A person who answered when a manager was requested Friday at Newcare, 903 Main Ave. in Crivitz, was not aware of the database. A follow-up email Monday stated that website log-in access was still pending for the facility.

A statement from CMS reads, in part:
“As with any new reporting program, there can be data submission errors in the beginning. In an effort to be transparent, CMS made the data collected by the CDC public as quickly as possible balancing transparency and speed against the potential of initial data errors.”

The nursing homes below have the indicated cases and deaths among residents, according to the database.

Bethel Home
225 N. Eagle St., Oshkosh
13 cases, 0 deaths

Eden Rehab Suites and Green House Homes
3151 Eden Ct., Oshkosh
1 case, 1 death

St. Francis Home
33 Everett St., Fond du Lac
1 case, 0 deaths

Rennes Health and Rehab Center
325 E. Florida Ave., Appleton
1 case, 0 deaths

Pines Post Acute and Memory Care
1625 E. Main St., Clintonville
1 case, 0 deaths