Feds find Montana State Hospital put patients at risk, almost terminated agreement
HELENA — Montana State Hospital, the state’s publicly run psychiatric facility, was set to lose its federal agreement in February because of what’s called an “immediate jeopardy,” a situation where the hospital’s noncompliance with federal regulations was considered serious enough to risk death or serious injury to a resident.
After a legal notice was published in The Montana Standard on Thursday announcing the termination of the agreement between the Warm Springs hospital and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid set for Feb. 8, the agency sent the paper a notice of retraction, saying that the situation that put residents at significant risk had been “abated.”
The hospital is in the middle of a federal survey now, said Department of Public Health and Human Services public information officer Jon Ebelt, so the information that can be made public is limited. Those with knowledge of the hospital said surveyors were on-site this week.
The immediate jeopardy came after surveyors visited the hospital Jan. 13. By Jan. 25 the facility had made changes to correct deficiencies and the agreement with CMS was reinstated.
Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/business/feds-find-state-hospital-put-patients-at-risk-almost-terminated/article_fe87a417-6a8a-560c-8b39-37b3fae098d9.html
