CMS found more than two dozen deficiencies at Hackensack University Medical Center's kidney transplant program before the hospital voluntary suspended the program's operations earlier this week, according to a Boston Herald report.
CMS conducted a survey of the hospital's transplant program last April and discovered, among other things, that the hospital one-year patient and graft survival rate was lower than expected. In addition, with an expected death rate and graft failure rate of 3.53 and 7.37, respectively, the hospital reported 10 patient deaths and 13 graft failures, according to the report.
Medicare also found the hospital failed to investigate what contributed to transplant failures or deaths so that appropriate measures could be taken to mitigate future risk of these adverse events. Federal officials reported other shortfalls, including failure to conduct psychosocial evaluations of living donors and proper documentation of donors' suitability.
Medicare reported the hospital has since rectified all the listed deficiencies during a follow-up survey in September, with the exception of persisting higher than expected death and graft failure rates. The hospital plans to hire a new lead surgeon and consultant to help improve quality in these areas. In the meantime, HUMC's 300 kidney transplant patients will be transferred to four other transplant programs without losing credit for time on the waiting list.
CMS conducted a survey of the hospital's transplant program last April and discovered, among other things, that the hospital one-year patient and graft survival rate was lower than expected. In addition, with an expected death rate and graft failure rate of 3.53 and 7.37, respectively, the hospital reported 10 patient deaths and 13 graft failures, according to the report.
Medicare also found the hospital failed to investigate what contributed to transplant failures or deaths so that appropriate measures could be taken to mitigate future risk of these adverse events. Federal officials reported other shortfalls, including failure to conduct psychosocial evaluations of living donors and proper documentation of donors' suitability.
Medicare reported the hospital has since rectified all the listed deficiencies during a follow-up survey in September, with the exception of persisting higher than expected death and graft failure rates. The hospital plans to hire a new lead surgeon and consultant to help improve quality in these areas. In the meantime, HUMC's 300 kidney transplant patients will be transferred to four other transplant programs without losing credit for time on the waiting list.
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