Calhoun Liberty Hospital in Blountstown, Fla., made news last year after a patient who was forcibly removed from the facility by police died later the same evening. Now, the hospital is asking for community donations to pay off fines and keep hospital doors open, reports WCTV.
Below are five things to know about the fines and the hospital's fundraising efforts.
1. After the death of Barbara Dawson, the patient who was forcibly removed from the hospital by police, Calhoun racked up $45,000 in fines for deficiencies and violations uncovered during an investigation by Florida's Agency for Health Care.
2. The hospital also incurred $500 penalties per day for each day it operated without a state-approved corrective action plan following the FAHC's investigation. The state denied the first corrective action plan Calhoun submitted Feb. 25, 2016.
3. Calhoun has implemented a community fundraising initiative aimed at helping the hospital pay off around $100,000 in fines. Hospital officials said community funding is essential to keeping hospital doors open, reports WCTV.
4. The hospital posted the following official message on its website this week: "Over the past few months, CalhounLibertyHospital has been working extremely hard to meet the state's requirements for keeping our hospital open. And it's become expensive. We need to raise money to cover these extra costs, and every donation will help us move forward."
5. So far, hospital officials said they have raised close to $10,000, according to the article.