By EMS1 Staff
BALTIMORE — Federal investigators cited a hospital for violating patient rights for a January incident where a patient was found outside in frigid temperatures in just a hospital gown.
The Baltimore Sun reported that the University of Maryland Medical Center was also cited for violating several patient safety and hospital management regulations as a result of an investigation that was launched when a psychotherapist stumbled upon the patient, who was only identified as Rebecca, on his way home.
Officials said Rebecca was treated at the hospital after injuring her head in a motorbike accident, but reports said nurses asked security to intervene after she resisted being discharged.
The investigation found that the hospital:
- Violated a federal law that requires hospitals to protect the rights of patients. “Specifically, the hospital enacted barriers to patients receiving care in the Emergency Department, failed to discharge a patient in a safe manner from the Emergency Department, and failed to protect one patient from harassment and potential harm.”
- Violated a patient’s right to be safe while receiving care. “Security personnel indicated that they would turn patients away if they were ‘unruly’ or otherwise acting inappropriately. They would call police if the person did not leave. This practice meant that non-clinical personnel determined who could receive treatment.”
- Violated a patient’s right to be safe from harassment and abuse.
- Violated a patient’s right to confidential records when “non-clinical staff had access to or were made aware of portions of [the patient’s] medical history and physical examination findings.”
- Did not properly collect and analyze data.
- Did not properly perform improvement activities.
Personal injury attorney James Farmer said the report proves that the rights of Rebecca, whose family says suffers from mental illness, were violated.
“There are certain things that have to be done for these patients,” he said. “They must be stabilized. They must be treated. There is absolutely no doubt that in the time she was there she was not treated with human decency and respect.”
“We are confident that we are doing the right thing to move forward,” University of Maryland Medical Center CEO Dr. Mohan Suntha said. “We look forward to when we will be able to demonstrate that to the community.”
Investigators also found that ER doors were locked with security deciding who could enter based on their behavior, and leadership was criticized for lack of awareness of hospital issues because the emergency room reported the patient access problem five months before the incident.