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Sept. 20, 2023
Media contact: Amber Shoebridge, 503-931-9586,
amber.shoebridge@oha.oregon.gov
Oregon State Hospital Submits Corrective Plan to CMS
(Salem – Sept. 20, 2023) Oregon State Hospital (OSH) has submitted an immediate jeopardy removal plan to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to recent issues raised related to secure medical transports of patients who require Secure Transport Restraints (STRs).
OSH has begun implementing the following new safety measures, which are reflected in the plan:
- Only vans with a barrier between the front and back seats will be used for all secure medical transports of patients who require STRs. The barrier will prevent the patient from moving into the front of the vehicle, which will help keep the driver, accompanying staff, and the patient being transported, safe at all times. As of Sept. 18, OSH has four secure vehicles (three in Salem and one in Junction City).
- All secure medical transports must be loaded and unloaded from secure vehicle sally ports. A policy is being updated to specify protocol.
- When not in the ignition, the driver must maintain control of the secure vehicle keys at all times. A policy is being drafted to reflect the new protocol.
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. A surveyor will conduct another unannounced visit in the upcoming weeks to ensure the hospital enacted the approved plan and is following through on corrective measures.
OSH 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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