Amidst concerns over patient safety, Mission Hospital in Asheville has announced that it is no longer under the “immediate jeopardy” status, a critical sanction that reflects severe issues within healthcare facilities. This change follows a recent inspection by state officials addressing earlier complaints.
According to an email sent to hospital staff by CEO Greg Lowe, federal authorities have lifted the immediate jeopardy designation. “We appreciate CMS providing confirmation on this matter and look forward to continuing to work with them as we move through the next phase of the process,” Lowe stated, as reported by BPR News.
Mission Hospital is now required to submit a corrective action plan and undergo another state inspection in the near future. Lowe emphasized that the hospital teams have already begun implementing strategies to tackle the issues identified during the initial survey.
When asked for further comments, a spokesperson from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services suggested contacting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which indicated plans to respond to the inquiry but had not done so by the article’s publication time.
Since being acquired by HCA Healthcare in 2019, Mission Hospital has encountered the immediate jeopardy status three times, with the latest concerns involving patient identification, transport procedures, and monitoring equipment. Reports from the Asheville Citizen-Times indicate that these violations contributed to the deaths of two patients in July and September.
Community leaders and local officials have attributed these ongoing problems to persistent understaffing at the facility. They are advocating for HCA to either divest the hospital or appoint an external administrator to manage operations temporarily. More details on this can be found here.
In a related development, Mission Hospital is among four healthcare providers seeking state approval for expansion projects in Buncombe County. A public hearing to discuss all proposals is slated for December 16th at A-B Tech in Asheville. Additional information about the competition for expansion can be accessed here.
