Oregon Health Authority approves Lakeview nursing facility project

The Oregon Health Authority today issued a proposed order granting a certificate of need, with a condition, to Lakeview Gardens LLC for a project that involves relocating nursing facility beds and rebuilding all or part of a long-term care facility within its service area.

Lakeview Gardens LLC is licensed for 47 nursing facility beds. Lake Health District will build two cottages at 1200 S. Ninth St., Lakeview, Ore., and relocate 24 nursing facility beds to there from its current location at 700 S. J St. in Lakeview. Twenty-three nursing facility beds will remain at the original 700 S. J St. location.

The applicant is not proposing any improvements to the physical environment for patients or to its ability to provide care for the nursing facility beds that will remain at the 700 S. J St. location. Therefore, it is unclear how the applicant proposes to use the existing beds when Lakeview Gardens LLC’s patients begin receiving services at the new location. However, discussions have taken place between the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) and Lakeview Gardens LLC regarding the future use of the 23 nursing facility beds remaining at the original location.

These discussions are reflected in the following condition placed upon approval of this project: At the time that the 24 nursing facility beds are relocated to the new location, the 23 nursing facility beds remaining at the original location will either be de-licensed, or the applicant and DHS will have reached a mutually agreed-upon plan for the use of these beds and the applicant will have secured an inactive license. The future use of these beds may first require certificate-of-need approval.

The order issued today is a proposed order. Any affected party who takes exception to the proposed order may ask the OHA Public Health Division to hold an informal hearing. If no request for a hearing is received by April 11, 2016, the proposed order will automatically become final. For more information about this project, contact Jana Fussell, certificate of need coordinator, Public Health Division, at 971-673-1108.

Under state certificate of need law, Lakeview Gardens LLC was required to seek state approval of this project because it involves the relocation of nursing facility beds and the rebuilding of all or part of a long-term care facility within its service area. The purpose of the law is to see that health services are adequately distributed in the state without unnecessary duplication of services or excessive cost to patients.

This proposed order grants the provider permission to proceed with the project. This project will be subject to further review for any changes to the physical plant, for state licensure, and for federal certification for Medicare and Medicaid if requested.