Eastern State Passes Review, Saves Funding A Failed Inspection Would Have Closed Hospital

Eastern State Hospital emerged from a surprise inspection Friday with a perfect score, and no longer at risk of losing its federal funding.

The mental hospital has been in trouble for the past four months after a team of investigators found serious care and staffing problems.

The federal Health Care Financing Administration warned that if the hospital didn’t correct its nursing shortages and other concerns, it could lose two-thirds of its funding.

Such a move could have closed the 300-bed hospital.

But when inspectors finished their job Friday, the report was favorable.

Acting-administrator Pat Terry said she was told that no deficiencies were found.

“The staff is pretty elated,” Terry said. “If we had not passed this (inspection) we would have lost our funds.”

Before Friday’s inspection, the hospital was still reeling from one of its worst inspections ever.

Patient participation in therapy groups was way down. Nurses weren’t following up on patient’s symptoms. Patient charts lacked weekly progress reports.

The hospital responded by expanding its therapy programs by 50 percent and hiring about 20 nurses during the past several months.

Terry, the former administrator of the Western State Hospital, was asked to help Eastern State Hospital after the bad inspection report last June. Her mission was to make sure the hospital passed its next examination.

Terry became the hospital’s administrator after Steven Covington quit the post in last July. Covington was under fire for ethics violations, including misuse of state telephones and vehicles.

Terry said she will remain the administrator for about six weeks while the hospital shops for a new leader.

, DataTimes