Observations:
Based on review of facility documentation and interview with staff (EMP), it was determined that the facility failed to provide 60 day notification to the Department of the closure of Gero Psych Unit with a decrease in bed complement of 18 licensed beds.
Findings Include:
Facility documentation dated August 10, 2020, revealed, "... RE: Geriatric Psychiatric Unit ... DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center LLC will temporarily suspend admissions to the following inpatient behavioral medicine: Geriatric Unit (licensed at 18) ... The medical Center is continuing to recruit full-time psychiatrists, and contract the services of locum tenens physicians qualified to provide services on the behavioral medicine units. Once we have hired adequate medical staff, we will notify you of our intention to resume normal admissions to the Geriatric Unit. ... The Pennsylvania Department of Health has been notified of the above-described temporary capacity plan. ... ."
1) Review of facility electronic mail documentation dated January 26, 2024, revealed, "... Looking back at my schedule it looks like the gero unit closed on 9/5/2020. On 9/6/2020, all of the gero staff were assigned to the adult unit. ... ."
Interview with EMP1 on February 26, 2024, at approximately 11:00 AM, confirmed that formal letter to the Department regarding the notification of closure of the Geropsych Unit was never sent.
| | Plan of Correction - To be completed: 05/17/2024
DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center sent letters to the Director of the Pennsylvania Department of Health the week of March 11, 2024.
DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center sent notification to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) the week of March 11, 2024.
DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center sent notification to the Department if Human Services agencies the week of March 11, 2024.
The letter/communication served as an official notification that DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, LLC, permanently closed the 18 bed geriatric unit located on the eighth floor of the Good Samaritan building of the facility. Admissions have been suspended since reported to CMS on August 10, 2020, due to the shortage of medical and clinical staff to safely care for patients. The 18 beds will be removed from the hospital license.
Additionally, notification of the State Department of Health was made via the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System on February 23, 2024.
Going forward – notification will be provided to the department of health in the appropriate time frames related to healthcare services, reduction or increase of the licensed bed complement.
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