Healthcare Notes: Ascension Saint Thomas on notice following error

Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown and West hospitals have been given a termination notice by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services following an Aug. 14 medication error that left several patients paralyzed, Nashville Business Journal reported this week.  

The hospital company has until Sept. 18 to rectify three issues that put it out of compliance with the state insurance’s standards. The Tennessee Health Facilities Commission took issue with practices that led to the mislabeling of syringes, a lack of repercussions for the anesthesiologist or pharmacy technician involved in the medication error and the fact that the hospital moved patients to another facility following the incident. Initial corrective plans to rectify the issues were denied by the commission.