The family of a former patient recently filed a lawsuit against Washington, D.C.-based MedStar Washington Hospital Center, stating the hospital's infection control problems contributed to the death of a 70-year-old female patient last year, according to USA Today.
Carol Leonard, 70, underwent thyroid surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in February 2017 — a procedure hospital officials said was so routine, she would be discharged within the next day or so, the report states.
However, Ms. Leonard reportedly died within a week of the surgery from a sepsis infection. The lawsuit, filed by Ms. Leonard's family, cites infection control issues and ongoing sewage leaks in the hospital's operating rooms among the "continual onslaught of substandard care" Ms. Leonard received while she was being treated at the hospital, according to the report. The lawsuit also raises questions about officials' decision not to provide Ms. Leonard with antibiotics despite having been aware of the hospital's infection risks.
USA Today reports Ms. Leonard's surgery took place roughly six months after D.C. health officials released a report in August 2016 detailing "black water" sewage leaks in multiple ORs. Health officials returned to the hospital Aug. 18, 2017, and found the hospital still suffered from sewage issues, according to the report.
The 2016 report shows CMS placed the hospital in "immediate jeopardy" of losing its Medicare and Medicaid funding because of its failure to protect patients from the ongoing infection control issues. If a hospital receives the "immediate jeopardy" status, CMS may terminate the hospital's accreditation if it does not meet the deadline for compliance. MedStar Washington Hospital Center received the "immediate jeopardy" status and submitted a plan for correction Aug. 18, 2017. CMS removed the designation Aug. 21, according to the report.
In an April 2 statement to Becker's Hospital Review, a spokesperson for MedStar Washignton Hospital Center said, "A recent media story created a false impression of MedStar Washington Hospital Center's facilities. Last summer, we found minor leaks in an operating room. We closed the room immediately, conducted necessary repairs, cleaned and sterilized it and brought in an outside hygienist to ensure that the room was safe for patient care. We have had no new leaks since August 2017. We are in full compliance with the facility action plan accepted by the D.C. Department of Health. In addition, we are fully licensed by the health department and accredited by The Joint Commission, both of which thoroughly and regularly review our OR standards and protocols for providing a safe environment for every patient."
"Regarding the recently filed lawsuit, we are very sorry for the loss the Leonard family has experienced," the spokesperson added.
Editor's note: This article was updated at 4:40 p.m. to include a statement from MedStar Washington Hospital Center.