The family of a patient who died by suicide at Waterbury (Conn.) Hospital is suing, alleging that the hospital failed to provide proper supervision after the patient told a hospital social worker that he wanted to kill himself, according to the CT Post.
The 65-year-old man died by suicide at the hospital in March 2019. He had been diagnosed as a suicide risk and was initially admitted to the behavioral health department at the hospital, but he was later moved to a general floor. The suit claims that a psychiatrist and social worker questioned the move but did not prevent it.
Hours before his suicide, the man told a hospital social worker his intentions, the lawsuit alleges. His personal belongings were returned to him, and he later used one of the belongings to take his life, the CT Post reports.
When asked for comment, Waterbury Hospital spokesperson Lauresha Xhihani told Becker's that the hospital does not comment on pending litigation. She provided the following statement:
"Waterbury Hospital takes patient safety very seriously and we are committed to continuing to work closely with our regulators, our physicians and our staff with the goal of providing the safest care possible to our patients."
The suit does not the amount of monetary damages that the family is seeking, according to the report.
The hospital was cited for conditions that placed patients in "immediate jeopardy" after the patient's death. The hospital retained its funding after implementing a correction plan, it told Becker's.