Guymon, Okla.-based Memorial Hospital of Texas County's Medicare provider agreement is slated to be terminated April 18 unless deficiencies are corrected, according to ABC 7.
In January, the Oklahoma State Department of Health determined Memorial Hospital of Texas County was not in compliance with Medicare and Medicaid rules after reviewing reports from hospital surveys conducted in October. The department of health found the hospital was not in compliance with several rules, including those related to emergency services and medical screening exams, according to the report.
One incident noted in the report involved two teens who were discharged from the hospital without receiving mental health evaluations after trying to commit suicide by overdose. A registered nurse involved with one of the patients' care said she didn't know the correct procedures for treating a minor who had overdosed, according to ABC 7.
A second incident in the report involved a person who came to the hospital with a rattlesnake bite. The bite was treated with triple antibiotic ointment instead of anti-venom. The patient had to receive additional care the next day at a different hospital.
The report also detailed a few incidents involving pediatric care, including one involving a 27-day-old baby. The infant was brought to the hospital's ER three times for vomiting, constipation, jaundice and blood in the urine. No labs were ordered and no medications were provided during the first two visits. The patient's primary care physician sent the baby to a different hospital, where the baby underwent surgery for pyloric stenosis, according to the report.
As a result of these findings, the hospital's Medicare agreement will be terminated April 18 unless it corrects deficiencies identified in the surveys. Most hospitals take necessary steps to correct deficiencies before termination, and Memorial Hospital of Texas County has already submitted a correction plan, according to the report.
More articles on healthcare finance:
10 hospitals seeking CFOs
Vermont health system cuts jobs, wages to stay afloat
17 recent hospital, health system outlook and credit rating actions