Audit raises concerns at North Dakota Veterans Home, including choking death caused by improper meal

LISBON, N.D. — An audit of the North Dakota Veterans Home in Lisbon identified several areas of concern, including a choking death allegedly caused by a dietary plan not followed by staff. A news release from the North Dakota State Auditor's Office on Thursday, Nov. 12, says "a resident died from a choking accident in which their physician ordered dietary plan was not followed." This prompted the auditor's office to review the Veterans Home's dietary processes. During an onsite visit, auditors claimed to observe that one resident's dietary card didn't match the latest updated restriction from their doctor. The Veterans Home disputes the claim that the resident was served an incorrect diet, and instead says the resident's physician had incorrectly documented the resident's diet as "chemically soft" rather than "regular," but did not document any new orders or diet changes, so the "regular" diet continued.

This excerpt comes from the named source. Read the original for the full reporting.