State officials turn deaf ear to hospital allegations
By Dorthy Rowley
Jun 28, 2005, 19:28
It’s been quite a while since the Virginia Times brought it to state offi cials and the public’s attention a serious list of allegations surrounding Southside Regional Medical Center. While most of the allegations have been leveled at unethical practices among a handful of physicians who have practicing privileges at SRMC, other claims hinge on corruption and malfeasance that evolve around the sale of the hospital two years ago.
The articles were first published in the Times in January, and have continued appearing almost weekly in an effort to get authorities to launch an investigation.
Along the way other media, such as a local radio station have become involved airing a call-in show, and a cable TV producer expressed interest in making the public more aware of the allegations.
Other efforts by the Times to bring some semblance of justice to citizens who rely on SRMC for care and services, have stretched from the Petersburg City Council to the attorney general’s offi ce, to the Virginia Board of Medicine and Gov. Mark R. Warner’s offi ce. A public forum was held in April; and another is planned for next month.
Some six months later, offi cials appear to have remained deaf to the situation, which has impacted patient care, Medicaid and Medicare and private insurance billings, and, to some extent – the public’s general trust in health care provision.
As recently as last week, the Times attempted again to get the ear of state health and human services officials. Again, those efforts stalled.
While Nancy Hofheimer, director of the state Offi ce for Health Professions, did not respond to a series of timely articles recently faxed to her offi ce, she commented earlier on area hospitals being licensed and accredited. The year before SRMC’s transition to a private entity in 2003, its accreditation had come under scrutiny.
Hofheimer looked into the issue at the time and reported that various allegations contained in an extensive report could not be substantiated.
Contacted in late June, she said all area hospitals (including SRMC and John Randolph Medical Center in Hopewell) currently have deemed status with the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.
Hofheimer said as long the hospitals maintain deemed status, they are meeting conditions of participation with Medicare and Medicaid. She further stated that all area hospitals are licensed in good standing, and that problems now may revolve specifi cally around staffi ng issues.
“There is a need statewide and nationally for more nursing staff. If you don’t have the adequate numbers of staff that can certainly cause problems,” said Hofheimer.
As for the number of state investigations over the past few years, Hofheimer responded that her agency conducts licensing investigations every other year.
“We also do complaint investigations and those occur whenever we receive a complaint,” she said.
Queried on the number of patient deaths at hospitals over the past few years, Hofheimer responded the facilities are not required to report deaths under state licensing procedures.
However under “federal regulations, the only deaths they must report to us are those that occur due to restraint,” said Hofheimer. She explained “restraint” referred to patients being held down in their beds, bound for example, by the arms or legs – which is illegal, according to federal mandates.
“We get about 100 complaints a year regarding the hospitals,” Hofheimer said. “If people are interested in a particular hospital’s statistics, all they have to do is request that information under the Freedom of Information Act.”
Meanwhile, other print media outlets have intermittently turned their attention to misdoings embedded in the Virginia medical system – jumping on the bandwagon to expose physicians who have not necessarily lived up the Hypocratic Oath.
Those mediums have reported disciplinarian actions taken by the state Board of Medicine.
The Times has also sought assistance from the Board of Medicine as well as the state offi ce for Health Professions in bringing alleged “bad doctors out of the closet.”
Prior to, and after learning one of the physicians, Dr. Gopinath Jadhav, had been appointed by the governor to accompany him on a trade mission to India this spring, the newspaper asked that an investigation be launched.
Gov. Mark R. Warner’s office referred the matter to the medical board, led by Dr. William Harp. He has responded that his offi ce has never received any complaints pertaining to Jadhav or other physicians affiliated with either SRMC or JRMC, both of which serve the Tri- Cities area.
Another attempt last week to acquire follow-up comments from Harp on the Times’ articles were fruitless. Harp’s office reports to the Department for Health and Human Services, which comes under direction of Secretary Jane Woods.
HHS spokesperson, Patricia Green, said her offi ce receives just a few complaints concerning physicians who don’t provide adequate services.
But Green said because the complaints can be long and drawn out, that rather than try to discern what steps a complainant should take, she immediately directs them to a toll-free hot line (800- 533-1560) where they can file claims or complaints.
“We have 12 divisions under our jurisdiction,” said Green,” and overall, we get anywhere from 15 to 20 calls a day. But very few relate to doctors who are not delivering quality care. When we do get such calls, they are automatically referred the 800-number for assistance.” |