Down East hospital wins Medicare approval
Down East Community Hospital has been cleared to continue receiving federal Medicare payments after a surprise inspection earlier this month.
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services threatened in June to cut off Medicare payments in September if deficiencies at the troubled 25-bed hospital weren't resolved, the Bangor Daily News reported. The compliance deadline later was extended to Dec. 31. Earlier this month, an inspection found no violations of federal rules for participating in the Medicare program.
The Machias hospital in July was placed in receivership, and Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems took over operations in light of clinical and administrative complaints. Federal investigations -- launched following the death of patient Reid Emery of Eastport -- uncovered a number of problems at DECH, including deficiencies in emergency care and protocols. In November 2008, files apparently stolen from the hospital washed up on a local beach.
Plans now call for replacing the existing board of trustees and naming a new advisory board to relay community feedback to the trustees, the paper reported. The board will soon need to name a permanent CEO, and interim CEO Doug Jones, the former top executive at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth, has expressed interest.
Go to the article in the Bangor Daily News >>
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