The Post joins Barron’s and other news sites that have been examining the Portopiccolo Group, an investment firm that owns and operates numerous nursing homes in several states, including across the Mid-Shore.
The Washington Post reported Dec. 21, 2020, that:
• Portopiccolo bought three Maryland facilities from Genesis HealthCare and others from Autumn Lake Healthcare, including its facility in Chestertown. (Autumn Lake’s Chestertown facility had a COVID-19 outbreak in mid-April, about a month before it was bought and rebranded as Peak Healthcare at Chestertown.)
• Employees at Portopiccolo-owned facilities said they were asked to work after testing positive for COVID-19 and said the company “scrimped on supplies, including cutlery, cleaning materials and clothing for residents.”
• Kent County health officials intervened at the Chestertown facility in mid-May after learning an infected employee was still working.
• The Chestertown facility was fined $730,000 for not fixing or reporting that its water heater was broken from July to September. The firm is disputing the fine.
According to an Aug. 6, 2020, report in Barron’s:
• The Portopiccolo Group, a private-equity firm, has bought numerous nursing homes since 2016 and its president and CEO, and Portopiccolo’s affiliated companies, own or operate about 100 facilities under dozens of names.
• The firm has focused on lower-quality nursing homes and its purchases have continued even as some of its facilities have dealt with COVID-19 outbreaks and staff shortages.
On June 12, 2020, The Charlotte Observer reported on nursing homes owned by Portopiccolo in North Carolina:
• At that time, a nursing home owned by Portopiccolo in Salisbury, N.C., had had the state’s worst COVID-19 outbreak.
• Two residents had sued the facility and its corporate owners, claiming it was understaffed by poorly trained workers and did not have necessary supplies.
Karen says
Investment firms have a dismal track record of buying businesses they don’t understand nd running them into the ground, likely to write off the losses and make more money. Selling a business to them is tantamount to a death knell, regardless of the focus of the business. How sad for all of the residents who continue to be subjected to sub-standard or inadequate care. How sad for families who entrusted loved ones to a company with so little concern for the welfare of the employees and residents.
Connie Gsell says
The owners should be forced to live under those conditions and see how well they like it. This is terrible time and instead of helping these elder patients instead of making there life worse.
Barbara says
Worked one shift through a agency.
Autumn Lake was a disgrace.
It broke my heart that all these poor folk had inadequate care.
A link and a promise was all they got.
Not the fault of the hard worker staff..just seriously understaffed.
The place was filthy as well.
I am guessing these investors are laughing all the way to the bank.
Surly their pockets are filled.
Cindy savitz says
My late husband was owner of this home at one time. He always cared for the staff and residents. It is a shame that the home has become so bad.the govt. should be much stronger in keeping homes in top condition. From what I heard over the years is that many in govt. are in bed with many nursing home owners and that is why the homes are allowed to run with profit over patient wellbeing.