Mission Hospital Faces Immediate Jeopardy for Third Time Since 2019
Once again, Asheville’s Mission Hospital finds itself in a precarious situation as the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has placed it in immediate jeopardy. This marks the third such instance since 2019 for the hospital, which is owned by HCA Healthcare.
In a letter dispatched to the hospital staff, CEO Greg Lowe relayed that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) recommended this severe action due to recent inspections. The sanction implies a potential withdrawal of Medicare and Medicaid funding unless corrective measures are implemented swiftly.
The NCDHHS inspection, carried out last month for CMS, highlighted several critical incidents, including the death of a cardiac patient disconnected from telemetry monitoring on July 26. Other cited issues involved patient transport safety violations and infection control failures.
Aaron Sarver, representing Reclaim Healthcare WNC, a group advocating for better conditions at Mission, stated, “CMS has taken appropriate action to hold HCA accountable.” He emphasized the ongoing challenges with staffing levels, saying, “Step one is to restore staffing at Mission to safe levels.”
The hospital has until November 9 to present an acceptable correction plan to CMS. In response, Lowe asserted that a proactive plan has already been given to CMS, addressing the raised concerns. He also criticized the investigation process, attributing some findings to “outside pressure.”
Lowe expressed his respect for the NCDHHS surveyors but described the investigation as unusual, noting that many complaints were deemed baseless. He insisted that the hospital had previously taken corrective steps, hoping they would be recognized by NCDHHS.
The history of immediate jeopardy citations at Mission includes a 2024 sanction related to patient harm incidents and a 2021 incident involving a patient found dying with disconnected IV equipment. Additionally, other HCA-owned hospitals in the area have experienced similar sanctions since 2019.
Sarver pointed out a concerning pattern since HCA’s acquisition of Mission, where temporary improvements follow regulatory actions, only to revert to unsafe staffing levels. He called for lasting solutions to these staffing issues.
