Nebraska officials fined Lincoln-based nursing home Christian Village $50,000 after staff failed to notify a patient's physician of accelerating asthma problems before the patient died in February, The State Journal-Register reports.
The 64-year-old patient's physician told state investigators the "death could have been potentially prevented if I would have been notified."
Staff of the 124-bed, nonprofit nursing home failed to notify the patient's physician of changes in her condition despite the patient "verbalizing continued complaints of respiratory distress for three days."
The lack of communication led to the patient being found unresponsive Feb. 5 and later dying at an unnamed local hospital, according to the state report.
Nursing home officials did not respond to The State Journal-Register's phone calls, but Christian Village officials told the state, they are fighting the fine.
A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Aug. 8, according to public health spokesperson Melaney Arnold.