The Arizona State Hospital conducted a series of informal self-inspections since an ABC15 investigation last year exposed numerous patient safety concerns at the state-run psychiatric facility. Now, records from reviews show the hospital is still failing to identify the root causes of some of the problems, ABC15 reports.
In addition to ASH's in-house technical assistance visits, the hospital was visited by federal inspectors, who forced the facility to correct some major deficiencies to avoid losing certifications. Although ASH has made major improvements, a recent suicide attempt by a patient who was supposed to be under supervision suggests the hospital has more work to do.
Additionally, inspection documents obtained by ABC15 show problems such as inconsistent and incomplete documentation, gaps in patient observation and issues with restraints and seclusion continue.
In response to the documents, Arizona Department of Health Services Director Cara Christ, MD, told ABC15, "We have seen incredible improvement at the state hospital over the past year and maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment for our patients and staff remains one of our top priorities."
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