San Francisco-based Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center has requested another extension from CMS as it works to gain state and federal recertification, Local News Matters reported May 12.
CMS decertified the facility in April 2022. Originally set to close Sept. 13, the closure deadline was extended after nine patients died upon transfer to another facility. In February, the closure deadline was extended again to May 19, and now the facility has asked for a third extension.
Interim CEO Roland Pickens said the hospital is on track to complete its action plan items by mid-May and has already implemented hundreds of changes across the facility. It expects to be ready to apply for recertification if its third monitoring survey goes well and is requesting the extended grace period past May 19 in order to recertify without negatively affecting patients.
The last extension was not approved until 24 hours before the grace period ended.
"You can imagine the stress and strain that caused for our residents, their families and communities. We stressed to [CMS] we did not want to be in that position again," Mr. Pickens said in a meeting to the hospital's board of supervisors.