The preliminary decision followed an unannounced review of the hospital, which has faced intensifying public scrutiny in recent days.
The Joint Commission has not yet provided details regarding its decision. The agency issues a preliminary denial of accreditation “when there is justification to deny accreditation to the healthcare organization” because of one or more of the following, per its website:
- An immediate threat to health or safety for patients or the public.
- Submission or falsified documents or misrepresented information.
- Lack of a required license or similar issue at the time of the survey.
- Failure to resolve the requirements of an accreditation with follow-up survey status.
- Patients having been placed at risk for serious adverse outcomes due to significant or pervasive patterns/trends/repeat findings, or significant noncompliance with Joint Commission standards.
“We cannot comment at this time since this is a new development and we are currently working to thoroughly review it,” Maureen Lyons, spokesperson for the Joint Commission, said in an email to WPRI.
The Joint Commission’s decision is “subject to review and appeal before the determination to deny accreditation.”
During its previous 2017 review of Eleanor Slater, the commission threatened to revoke the hospital’s accreditation, citing life and safety problems.
On June 14, Randal Edgar, public information officer with the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals — which oversees Eleanor Slater — told Becker’s, “We are deeply committed to providing safe, high-quality care at Eleanor Slater Hospital.” Becker’s has reached out to the hospital regarding the preliminary denial and will update this article as more information becomes available.
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