When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services came for a follow-up survey of the Juan F. Luis Hospital last week, they reported significant progress on some areas of concern but were less than satisfied at the status of others.
At a special meeting of the hospital’s governing board Wednesday, Darice Plaskett, the hospital’s acting chief executive, said two CMS representatives toured the hospital last Thursday as a follow-up on the plan of correction for problems in the hospital’s kidney care unit. During an inspection in April, CMS flagged several procedural problems in the kidney unit and the hospital submitted a plan of correction. Last week’s visit was to follow-up on the hospital’s progress with the plan.
"They did indicate satisfaction with much of the progress," Plaskett said. "However there were still additional items we’re still required to implement."
None of the procedural problems placed patients in direct jeopardy, Plaskett said.
"We won’t know the precise details until they send us the official report," she said. "But they did indicate there were no citations for anything that posed a direct threat to patient safety."
The water treatment system for the kidney unit, documentation, interdisciplinary patient assessment, and quality assurance procedures were the main areas of concern for CMS, she said.
"Did they report any new deficiencies?" asked board member Imelda Dizon.
"No … no new deficiencies … but we still need improvement on some of those we’ve already identified," Plaskett said.
In other business, the board decided to have legal counsel review whether or not the board should acquire personal civil liability insurance for the board members and advise the board during its next regular meeting. Personal financial liability for the board members for their actions while on the board became an issue in early 2008 when former CEO Gregory Calliste sued several of the board members after being fired, then re-instated by the board.
Board members present were: Dizon, Carmelo Rivera, Joyce Heyliger, Wallace Phaire and Kye Walker. Absent were Valdemar Hill and Dr. Keri Biscoe.
