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September 15, 2023
Contact: Robb Cowie, robb.cowie@oha.oregon.gov, (503)421-7684
Oregon State Hospital to Make Immediate Changes to Secure Transportation of Patients Following Federal Patient Safety Findings
(Salem – September 15, 2023) Administrators at the Oregon State Hospital (OSH) announced that they have received ‘immediate jeopardy’ findings from a surveyor who was on site on behalf of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). State hospital administrators are taking steps to immediately address the specific findings in the report, which include making physical changes to secure transportation vehicles.
The surveyor cited issues related to the secure medical transport of patients, including patients who are currently involved in the criminal justice system or are under the supervision of the state Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB).
OSH Superintendent Dolly Matteucci said, “Our foremost priority is always the safety of patients, staff and the public. We appreciate the findings the investigator provided us this afternoon. We are taking steps right away to reduce the possibility that an unauthorized leave could occur during transport and potentially put themselves, staff or members of the community at risk.”
Under federal rules, OSH has 23 days to make approved changes to address the surveyor’s immediate jeopardy findings or be terminated from eligibility to receive federal Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement for services.
State hospital administrators will provide a corrective action plan for CMS review and approval early next week. If the plan receives preliminary approval, a surveyor will conduct another unannounced visit to review the hospital’s fidelity in implementing the corrective plan.
The Oregon State Hospital is a division of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). In Oregon, the state’s Health Regulation and Quality Improvement (HRQI) program conducts patient safety investigations on behalf of CMS. HRQI is a program of OHA’s Public Health Division. HRQI applies federal and state safety standards rigorously and consistently to all hospitals its surveyors investigate on behalf of federal regulators.
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