Portland-based Legacy Health operates the psychiatric emergency facility. Oregon Health Authority officials began investigating Unity after receiving a complaint in February of unsafe practices there.
The investigation revealed Unity management let some patients receive the wrong medication and let one patient commit suicide inside the facility.
CMS has threatened to pull Unity’s certification and stop payments to Legacy Health, but state officials said their most recent check on Unity shows enough improvements have been made for it to keep its federal funding.
“Unity Center for Behavioral Health has met our requirements for ensuring patient safety [and] staff safety [and] it is implementing an acceptable plan of correction,” an Oregon Health Authority spokesperson said. “Their plan going forward is acceptable.”
Legacy Health officials said the system is “awaiting a determination from CMS and [remains] focused on the safety and well-being of our patients and staff.”
CMS is expected to decide whether to accept the Oregon Health Authority’s recommendation in the next two weeks.
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