A new seven-member watchdog panel in Indiana will review the state board responsible for reviewing and regulating nursing home administrators.

The panel, dubbed the Regulated Occupations Evaluation Committee, will begin its review of the state’s Health Facility Administrators board beginning in January, according to an Associated Press report. Recent reports in the Indianapolis Star have shown that only a small amount of nursing home inspection reports make it through the state’s regulatory system. Also, few nursing home administrators are punished for wrongdoing. (McKnight’s, 8/25/10) State Attorney General Greg Zoeller, in response to these reports, is renewing the push to establish the watchdog panel, which is the result of a law passed in April, the AP reported.

The panel will include public officials and members appointed by Gov. Mitch Daniels (R). The number of nursing home inspection reports referred to the Health Facility Administrators for punitive action is expected to climb steeply once the panel is fully established.