> Home > About Us > News/Events

March 11, 2008

HRMC staff working to prepare for CMS inspection by March 31

Haywood Regional Medical Center’s board and administration are taking decisive action to aggressively resolve the problems which led to the Feb. 24 termination of its Medicare/Medicaid contract by the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services.

The hospital has hired the Cincinnatti-based Compass Group consulting firm to conduct a full, detailed assessment and provide an action plan to reinstate the Medicare/Medicaid contract.

Kate Fenner, CEO for the Compass Group consulting firm, said Compass will provide two senior physicians, a pharmacist, three nurses — one of which will oversee the emergency department — a chief nursing officer, and an implementation officer to assist in the recertification process.

The Compass Group condensed the 158-page report from the Division of Health Service Regulation and CMS into a seven-page summary. From there, Compass consultants identified nine areas that need improvement and have developed nine teams to help correct the deficiencies.

Following are nine areas which need improvement:
•1. Governing body
•2. Restraints/seclusions
•3. Patient grievance process
•4. Medication administration
•5. Quality oversight
•6. Nursing service
•7. Equipment and supply maintenance
•8. Respiratory care and staffing
•9. Infection control

Fenner said a corrective action plan would be completed by March 14.
  
“The goal is to be prepared by March 31 for full inspection,” said Eileen Lipham, HRMC vice president of professional services. “The next three weeks are extremely important in our ability to meet that goal.

“This is a new beginning. The issues we are facing are serious, and we realize we have a great deal of work to do. But, I am encouraged — as everyone who works at and supports the hospital should be as well — that every issue that has been identified is not only fixable, but fixable within the timeframe we have identified,” said Al Byers, interim HRMC CEO.

“I want to be the first to go on record to say you have my full and total commitment to make it happen,” Byers said.

Following is a recap concerning patient care until the hospital is fully funded again:

•Medicare and Medicaid inpatients who were admitted to the hospital on or before Feb. 24 have coverage until March 25.

•All patients can be seen at one of the hospital’s two urgent care centers and emergency department.

•All patients can receive imaging services, such as X-rays and MRIs. Precertification forms should stipulate the provider as Haywood Medical Imaging.

•At this time the following companies continue to have Haywood Regional Medical Center as a provider: HRMC, Haywood County, Aetna, Cigna, Humana Commercial, Angel Medical Center, Budweiser of Asheville, CarePartners, Community CarePartners, Consolidated Metco, Goodwill Industries of WNC, MB Haynes, Mountain Projects, Murphy Medical Center, Pressley Group Limited, Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care and Transylvania Community Hospital. Please check the intranet and HRMC Web site for frequent updates.

•Home Care, Hospice Services and obstetrics are in full service, providing care to all patients and are not affected by the CMS ruling. Home Infusion is not covered.