A new federal report reveals Arizona’s skilled nursing facilities with the largest COVID-19 outbreaks in the state.

The elderly and immunocompromised are most likely to die from COVID-19, authorities have long warned. Many of this group live in long-term care facilities, which account for 66% of Maricopa County’s coronavirus deaths.

“The mortality rate is high, so we’ve always been challenged to keep it out of buildings,” said Dave Voepel, CEO of the Arizona Healthcare Association.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid have required all of their facilities in the United States to begin reporting COVID-19 data in May. Now they publish the number of cases and deaths of residents and staff every week — something Arizona and its Department of Health Services (DHS) have declined to do, citing HIPAA and the law. State.

For the first time, Arizonans have a sense of the extent and impact of COVID-19 at CMS Skilled Nursing facilities across the state.

Here are the top 10 (out of 147 facilities) for resident cases:

1. Sapphire of Tucson Nursing and Rehab, LLC – 107
2. Providence Square in Glencroft – 82
3. Phoenix Haven – 48
4. Sandpointe Haven, LLC – 40
5. La Estancia Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – 24
6. Oasis Pavilion Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – 23
7. Lifestream At Cook Health Care – 22
8. Sunview Respiratory And Rehabilitation – 21
9. Tucson Harbor – 21
10. Lake Havasu Haven – 18

ABC15 previously reported on the Glencroft facility in Glendale, which began reporting its numbers online before the federal data was made public.

Glencroft also offers several care options and bills itself as “Arizona’s largest seniors community.”

Tragically, at least 20 of their residents have died after contracting COVID – the second highest number in the state.

A total of 180 men and women have died calling a skilled nursing home. Nine of them lived at Desert Cove in Chandler.

“COVID-19 is a nasty killing machine when it enters a population of older people who have acuity issues,” Voepel said.

Here are the ten facilities with the most resident deaths:

1. Sapphire of Tucson Nursing And Rehab, LLC – 30
2. Providence Square in Glencroft – 20
3. Sapphire Estates Rehabilitation Center, LLC – 17
4. Handmaker Home For The Aging – 16
5. Immanuel Care Campus – 9
6. Sun West Choice Healthcare & Rehabilitation – 9
7. Desert Cove Nursing Center – 9
8. Mission Palms Post acute – 7
9. Oasis Pavilion Nursing and Rehabilitation Center – 6
10. Lake Pleasant Post-Acute Rehabilitation Center – 6

About 600 employees have contracted COVID, compared to about 650 residents. But only two staff members died, while 180 residents died. Voepel says that initially the facilities were more susceptible to outbreaks due to shortages of PPE.

“We’ve learned a lot from that. So instead of the whole building getting it, it’s just a few people getting it,” he said, noting that facilities are now isolating patients faster and more efficiently.

Unfortunately, it’s too late for some, like Bill O’Brien. He was the first resident to contract COVID at Westchester Senior Living in Tempe. The facility is now third in Arizona for personnel cases – with 52 employees testing positive so far.

Here are the places with the most personnel cases:

1. Providence Square in Glencroft – 81
2. Sandpointe Haven, LLC – 57
3. Westchester Care Center – 52
4. Surprise Health – 46
5. Sapphire of Tucson Nursing and Rehab, LLC – 38
6. Tucson Harbor – 36
7. Phoenix Haven – 30
8. Scottsdale Village Square – 24
9. Handmaker Home For The Aging – 18
10. Immanuel Care Campus – 17

The numbers can be frightening for those leaving their loved one in someone else’s care. Voepel says the facilities are improving every day, but loved ones should always ask the tough questions.

“You should always ask yourself, ‘How many cases of COVID have you had? How many do you have right now, and… What was your game plan?’ They all need to have action plans,” he said.

Heads of state are now cracking down on social distancing, restaurant capacity and the use of masks.

“Community propagation plays a big role in what happens in your nursing home,” Voepel said.

As Arizona’s numbers drop, the most at-risk older population will be safer, which is why Governor Ducey ended a press conference asking everyone “to behave responsibly, so that they can protect each other and protect the most vulnerable”.

Some facilities disputed the information publicly reported by CMS.

The Sapphire Estates Rehab Center in Tucson told ABC15 that “the most recent data released by CMS contains a significant error.”

They released the following statement:

To date, Sapphire Estates has had only one resident die from complications related to the COVID-19 virus.

CMS data conflicts with itself; it claims a total of 12 resident deaths from all causes, but attributes 17 deaths to coronavirus. By no means is it impossible to have more covid deaths than the total number of deaths.

We are investigating to determine where the error occurred and will work with CMS to ensure they receive accurate information.