GMHA hospital administrator Rey Vega received a letter from Rufus Arther, division of survey and certification of CMS, informing him the hospital “no longer meets the conditions of participation for hospitals,” citing non-compliance as the hospital failed to meet one condition of participation under the category of Physical Environment.
Vega has 10 days to respond to CMS. And if the response is not sufficient, CMS “will initiate a process to terminate your Medicare provider agreement,” and a separate notice will be sent with the basis for CMS’ action, the effective date of the termination, and the hospital’s rights to administrative review.
The letter informed Vega that the documented deficiencies “either individually or in combination substantially limit GMHA’s capacity to render adequate care of adversely affected patient health and safety.”
CMS also determined that these deficiencies “are of such a character as to pose immediate jeopardy to the health or safety of the agency’s patients.”
Variety obtained a copy of the report, which cited numerous violations of patient rights and personal privacy; misuse of restraints on patients; incomplete filing of patients by doctors; medical orders not being followed; ignoring patients’ complaints of pains; and numerous other citations regarding patient safety.
