St. Mary's Medical Center in Blue Springs, Mo., received an immediate jeopardy warning Dec. 20 after surveyors identified numerous deficient laboratory practices, according to survey documents obtained by Becker's.
Surveyors from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services visited the hospital — part of Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare — on Dec. 10-11. They identified numerous deficiencies related to the hospital's laboratory services, including failures in management, quality control, staff training and testing oversight. Surveyors determined the issues could lead to inaccurate test results that delay or harm care, posing an immediate risk to patients' health and safety.
St. Mary's has submitted a correction plan, which was accepted by the Missouri health department on behalf of CMS, according to a Jan. 17 hospital statement shared with Becker's. The hospital said it is diligently working to implement these measures, which include staff education, targeted improvement strategies and continuous quality monitoring.
"We take survey findings very seriously and have taken proactive steps to implement changes addressing issues identified by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services," the hospital said.
St. Mary's noted that the immediate jeopardy warning stemmed from blood bank processes reviewed during an October 2023 survey and said that no cases of patient harm were identified. The hospital also pointed to its strong safety and quality record, noting it has "A" grades from both The Leapfrog Group and the Lown Institute for patient safety, clinical outcomes and cost efficiency.
"St. Mary's Medical Center is dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate care to every patient we have the honor of serving," the hospital said. "There has been no impact to services or patient care as a result of these findings."
The hospital remains fully operational, offering comprehensive lab services, as it implements the corrective plan.