As HCA Healthcare’s Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., undergoes its third immediate jeopardy since 2019, hospital leaders said they have hired 200 employers in 65 days, according to an Oct. 30 report from Blue Ridge Public Radio.
The hospital said 120 of those hires include registered nurses.
“The remarkable volume and caliber of applicants seeking employment affirms Mission Hospital’s position as a destination not just for high-quality care, but for healthcare employment,” the hospital said in a statement to the outlet.
In October, CMS placed Mission Hospital in immediate jeopardy, meaning the hospital faces termination of its CMS Medicare contract if it is found to be noncompliant. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services recommended the immediate jeopardy, alleging several lapses in patient safety.
State health officials listed incidences of inadequate monitoring during patient transport and hospital staff failing to respond and assess a patient with immediate healthcare needs. A spokesperson for the hospital said the hospital addressed these issues.
“While we respect the surveyors’ role, the state regulators have not articulated what insufficiencies exist today given the extensive corrective action plans we have implemented and provided to them,” the spokesperson said in a statement shared with Becker’s. “Because of that, we proactively shared our plans with CMS. We believe we have addressed the issues and welcome an expedited follow-up survey.”
Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare acquired the hospital in 2019. Since then, the facility has received three immediate jeopardy notices.
In late 2023, CMS officials cited nine incidents of care deficiencies, prompting the first immediate jeopardy. Then in 2024, the agency said Mission failed to meet standards in several conditions of participation, spurring a second immediate jeopardy. Both were lifted after the hospital submitted correction plans.
