New oversight board aims to strengthen protections in Virginia nursing homes

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia nursing homes are set to receive increased oversight following a recent executive order from Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The order, issued last month, established a new board focused on improving transparency and making recommendations on both policy and day-to-day operations within long-term care facilities.

The executive order, which Youngkin signed on Monday, Aug. 11, directed the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the state health commissioner to implement these actions:

• Increase the workforce capacity of nursing homes
• Strengthen oversight with the creation of a new advisory board
• Modernize operations by using artificial intelligence for licensing and inspection processes
• Increase transparency by creating a new information portal

One of the newly appointed members of the board, Peter Anderson, a elder litigation attorney with Rawls Law Group, brings years of experience representing victims of nursing home negligence and abuse.

While his new role will focus on shaping policy, Anderson said his mission remains unchanged -- to protect vulnerable residents from harm.

"I'm just excited for the opportunity," Anderson said. "It was somewhat surprising that a plaintiff's attorney representing families and consumers was allowed on the board in the first place."

The 20-member board will concentrate on initiatives aimed at enhancing care standards and improving operational transparency across Virginia’s nursing homes. Anderson noted that collaboration among board members will be key in crafting effective guidelines.

"The idea is our guidelines are created amongst all of these excellent members of the community, and the governor's administration or even the next administration adopts these guidelines that we as a board have come up with," Anderson said.

Anderson believes his background offers a valuable perspective.

"I've seen how understaffed nursing homes and providing limited resources can lead to great harm to the residents in these facilities,” Anderson said.

Earlier this year, Anderson represented two families who sued Henrico Doctors' Hospital for alleged neglect in its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). He said the weight of the board’s responsibility is not lost on its members.

"The pressure is there to provide results and tangible results for the families of these nursing home residents," Anderson said. "Whether it's through litigation, after the fact or proactively through policy changes, my mission's the same."

The board held its first meeting last Monday, where members discussed recruitment strategies and hiring efforts to bring more inspectors into long-term care facilities across the Commonwealth.