Providence Milwaukie (Ore.) Hospital received an immediate jeopardy warning from CMS after a patient died Dec. 12 following discharge from the emergency department, The Lund Report said Jan. 18.
The 26-year-old man was taken to the hospital by ambulance and treated for existing injuries, infection and cold exposure. He was prescribed antibiotics and given Narcan for a possible "mild opioid intoxication," NBC affiliate KGW8 reported.
Four hours after entering the hospital, security guards called police to help force him to leave. Officers expressed concern that he still needed medical treatment, but staff reportedly said he was "playing possum." Police handcuffed and wheeled the patient, Jean Descamps, into a police vehicle around 10:49 p.m., and took him to a behavioral health center on a police hold, according to a memo from the county district attorney's office. While waiting for the behavioral health staff to bring a wheelchair to the police vehicle, the officers found Mr. Descamps unresponsive. Police and medical staff administered aid, but he was declared dead around 11:31 p.m. The county medical examiner's preliminary findings stated that Mr. Descamps died from an overdose with contributing natural causes.
Multnomah County prosecutors found no evidence police committed a crime, ruling Mr. Descamps' death as "a medical event only."
The hospital, which launched its own internal investigation Dec. 12, submitted a corrective plan that was approved by authorities. The Oregon Health Authority has signaled approval of Providence's plan for addressing the hospital's "immediate jeopardy" status, but the federal CMS investigation continues.
Renton, Wash.-based Providence said in a statement to Becker's: "Providence's internal review began immediately following the event on Dec. 12. As part of that review, we notified the state, and are responding to all requests from the Oregon Health Authority. We have already taken action, and OHA has approved our plan for addressing 'immediate jeopardy' status at Providence Milwaukie. That plan includes reinforcing our existing processes for caring for and discharging patients with our Providence Milwaukie caregivers. Our internal review continues, as does the external review. We continue to work closely with our colleagues at Oregon Emergency Physicians — the organization that provides the doctors for our emergency department — as we continue to review our processes and procedures to find out what led to this event and how we can do better in achieving our goal of providing safe, reliable and compassionate care."