A survey conducted for CMS by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services found care deficiencies for geriatric patients at Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs, according to The Montana Standard.
The surveyors sampled nine patients housed in the state psychiatric hospital's Spratt Unit, which primarily cares for older men and women with long-term psychiatric disabilities and significant medical concerns.
The survey revealed some patients' rights "to receive care in a safe setting" and "to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment" were not met. It also found standards for staffing and care delivery were not adequate in certain cases, and the hospital's failure to meet sanitary standards put patients at risk of infection.
Although the surveyors did not require administrators to submit a formal correction plan to address these issues, state officials said the department already has taken the necessary steps to correct the deficiencies and will work to prevent them from recurring.
During the inspection, hospital employees told investigators that the deficiencies with patient care may have stemmed from turnover and understaffing.