Federal Inspectors Find Serious Deficiencies At Northern Michigan Hospital
WASHINGTON, April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 12, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final report on Northern Michigan Hospital (NMH) in Petoskey, Michigan, which found that the hospital, whose nurses have been on strike since November 2002, was not in compliance with three conditions of participation for the Medicare program: Patient rights, physical environment and infection control. Consequently, Northern Michigan Hospital may lose its participation in the lucrative Medicare program.
This report follows on the heels of a Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission's report, which stated: "Since November 14, 2002 [when the strike began], rather than acting as prudent stewards of this community asset, the NMH Board has authorized large additional expenditures to pay temporary nurses at premium rates, jeopardizing the hospital's already precarious fiscal stability prior to the strike ... the Panel heard disturbing examples of questionable health care practices during the strike from both former patients and licensed health professionals, both strikers and non-strikers."
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' report confirmed the Blue Ribbon Panel's findings. The cover letter to the CMS report stated: "We have determined that the deficiencies are significant and limit your hospital's capacity to render adequate care and ensure the health and safety of your patients."
"In addition, a number of deficiencies were found in other Medicare requirements. Based on the determination that your hospital does not comply with the above conditions and that significant deficiencies exist, we must terminate your Medicare provider agreement."
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services conducted a survey in December 2003 following patient complaints to state and federal health agencies. The surveyors then found serious deficiencies in infection control, and CMS sent out another survey team to review everything else at NMH. This report is the result of the most recent survey.
The hospital has been surveyed six times since about half of its roughly 470 nurses at the time went on strike in November 2002. The nursing strike continues today, and is the longest nursing strike in U.S. history. The Teamsters Union represents them.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States and Canada.
International Brotherhood of TeamstersCONTACT: Bret Caldwell of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters,+1-202-624-5911
Web site: http://www.teamster.org/