Mercy Hospital Springfield (Mo.) will keep its Medicare funding for now, while a state agency continues to investigate if the hospital resolved issues of non-compliance, according to Ozarks First.
CMS placed Mercy Hospital Springfield on immediate jeopardy status following an Aug. 25 probe that revealed the hospital was not in compliance with federal standards, including issues with patient rights and nursing services. The move put Mercy Hospital's Medicare funding at risk Sept. 22.
In late September, CMS pushed back the deadline to Nov. 5 for deciding if the Missouri hospital would lose its Medicare funding. Now, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the state agency responsible for the investigation, is still deciding if Mercy Hospital Springfield has sufficiently addressed CMS' concerns, according to the report.
With its federal reimbursement in question, Mercy Hospital Springfield fired 12 employees Sept. 7 for failing to act with "dignity and compassion" in "highly tense situations," hospital spokesperson Sonya Kullmann told Becker's Hospital Review. In addition, Mercy Hospital's president was removed from his leadership role less than a week after firing the employees. The hospital also implemented training programs for employees to better handle tense situations.
"Co-workers have completed hours of hands-on training in handling tense situations," Mercy Hospital Springfield spokesperson told Ozarks First. "That education will continue on a regular basis, along with the utilization of co-workers who are specially trained in advanced de-escalation techniques."