Mercy Hospital Springfield (Mo.) is no longer at risk of losing its Medicare contract after CMS removed the hospital from immediate jeopardy status, according to the Springfield News-Leader.
The hospital was placed on immediate jeopardy status following an Aug. 25 investigation that revealed patient rights and nursing services were not in compliance with federal standards. This move put Mercy's Medicare contract at risk. Mercy Hospital had until Sept. 22 to correct the deficiencies, but received a deadline extension last week.
To lift the immediate risk of losing Medicare funding, Mercy submitted a plan to CMS which included hiring employees to intervene in situations that need deescalating, providing hands-on training and ensuring continuous improvement through additional education.
Although the immediate jeopardy status was lifted, a CMS official stated that Mercy Hospital is still not in compliance with a few requirements. A federal reviewer will revisit the facility in October to determine if those requirements have been met, according to the report.
Earlier this year, Mercy fired 12 employees after they failed to act with "dignity and compassion" amid "highly tense situations," a hospital spokeswoman told Becker's Hospital Review.