In February, CMS issued an immediate jeopardy citation at Tenet Healthcare’s Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Mass., citing inadequate nurse staffing levels that affected the care of five patients, three of whom died.
The immediate jeopardy warning followed six complaints the Massachusetts Nurses Association submitted to state and federal regulators surrounding patients safety and quality concerns since 2024. The latest complaint was filed in December 2024, alleging insufficient staffing levels contributed to the death of two ICU patients in September.
According to a CMS statement of deficiencies obtained by Becker’s, surveyors found three patients died between September and December 2024 after not being properly monitored or receiving timely treatment. The immediate jeopardy was initially issued on Feb. 4 and lifted Feb. 12, after the hospital submitted a plan of correction approved by the Massachusetts Health Department.
Around the same time, Carolyn Jackson stepped down as CEO of the hospital, which is part of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare. On February 18, the hospital announced Denten Park had been selected as the new CEO.
The nurse union contends that a number of actions listed in the correction plan have not been implemented. In May, the nurses submitted a follow-up complaint to the state health department, CMS and The Joint Commission outlining ongoing safety concerns such as preventable falls, and low staffing levels delaying care.
A spokesperson with the state health department confirmed to The Boston Globe that surveyors returned to the hospital for another investigation in June, which is ongoing, according to an Aug. 8 report.
“Saint Vincent Hospital is focused on caring for Central Massachusetts,” a hospital spokesperson said in a statement to Becker’s. “Being named a Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report is a proud reflection of our team’s commitment to high-quality care.”
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