Hospital in hot water with feds after 5 newborns injured in intensive care

UnityPoint Health-Meriter hospital didn't do enough to protect patients and prevent suspected abuse in its Newborn Intensive Care Unit, a federal investigation finds. The hospital in Madison is facing termination of its Medicare payments contract with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services after the agency concluded patients were in "immediate jeopardy," according to a document obtained by CBS Madison affiliate WISC-TV.

"The immediate jeopardy began on April 12, 2017 when the facility failed to protect and thoroughly investigate the first report of an injury of unknown origin for patient #4, placing all patients in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at risk for serious harm or injury," CMS said in the document.

The deficiencies report from CMS said injuries were found on five infants, ranging from bruising on arms and legs to skull and arm fractures.

Interviews with physicians and nurses in the facility show a timeline that began with concerns on Feb. 2 of unexplained bruising.  Those concerns continued throughout the week with questions about injuries to additional babies.  The documents show a child abuse expert wasn't called until Feb. 8, six days after that first report.



Source :- cbsnews

Share this: