PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Health has ordered Memorial Hospital to stop taking new patients, surgeries and emergency services, effective Dec. 1, until the applications to continue services at the hospital are reviewed, citing a lack of adequate staff.
The consent order should not be read as an indication of the future of Memorial Hospital following the issuance of RIDOH’s decisions, the department said.
“Even when someone goes into the hospital for a routine procedure, the unexpected can happen. As we continue to evaluate the applications submitted by Care New England, we are issuing these directions to safeguard patients against any injury or harm that could result from the hospital’s current situation,” said RIDOH Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott.
“Today’s order by the Rhode Island Department of Health recognizes the importance of maintaining patient safety at Memorial Hospital,” said Jim Beardsworth, Care New England spokesman. “While Memorial Hospital continues to work with RIDOH, the governor, and the mayors, pending a final RIDOH ruling on our formal closure plan and regulatory application, the order requires Memorial Hospital to take immediate and important precautionary measures to halt services that can no longer be sufficiently maintained. In the best interest of patient safety, Memorial Hospital and Care New England intend to fully comply with all measures set forth in the order immediately. Further, for those employees impacted by the order, along with those who remain at Memorial, we will continue to explore all possible options for placement throughout the CNE system and beyond.”
Memorial Hospital’s contract with the group that provides its anesthesia services ended Nov. 30. Memorial Hospital does not currently have a functional intensive care unit. The hospital also does not have any on-site gastrointestinal physicians or orthopedists, among other specialties.
“Today’s directive from the Department of Health is another example of a regulatory process gone awry in which the tail is wagging the dog,” said Ray Sullivan, United Nurses and Allied Professionals spokesman. “The effort to formally close Memorial Hospital was initiated by Care New England executives weeks ago, and health department officials were well aware of their intent to eliminate services and jobs without completing the reverse certificate of need process. To date, the administration has yet to hold Care New England leaders accountable to their highly publicized promise to maintain some level of operations on that campus.”
Memorial Hospital will maintain respiratory therapy, radiology, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, laboratory and pharmacy services. The hospital must also maintain the appropriate staffing levels required to support these services.
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.
