Memorial Hospital Central in Colorado Springs, Colo., has given up its state waiver allowing Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora to treat severe trauma cases at Memorial's pediatric center, according to The Denver Post.
Without the waiver, Children's Hospital Colorado relinquished control of the pediatric center at Memorial — which it operated under an agreement with Memorial's parent, Aurora-based University Colorado Health — and the emergency department has stopped treating severe trauma pediatric patients.
Although Memorial treated fewer than 10 severe trauma pediatric cases per month, closing the center leaves Colorado Springs without any severe trauma care for children and leaves the state with only two hospitals permitted to treat severe trauma in pediatric patients.
The changes associated with the pediatric center are the result of a federal and state investigation that identified problems with the emergency services, albeit unrelated to quality of care. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and CMS have been investigating technical issues involving licensure rules, such as two separate entities with two licenses in one building sharing some admissions staff.
The investigation is expected to complete in the coming weeks, according to the report.
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