Carlisle Regional violates 23 quality measures, maintains accreditation

Not long after the Pennsylvania Department of Health backed off Carlisle Regional Medical Center for a link between low nurse staffing ratios and two patient deaths, the hospital is back under the microscope for violating 23 quality standards, reports The Patriot-News.

A review by The Joint Commission found that the hospital failed to plan patients' care, safely prepare medications, and identify risks for acquiring and transmitting infections.

The Commission also found that Carlisle Regional doesn't comply with quality regulations requiring "staff and licensed independent practitioners are familiar with their roles and responsibilities relative to the environment of care" and "staff are competent to perform their responsibilities," among others.

Despite the industry shift toward rewarding quality care, Carlisle Regional--and its more than two-dozen violations--kept its accreditation.

That's because it's still normal for hospitals to be out of compliance with some of the Joint Commission's 250 standards, Commission spokeswoman Elizabeth Eaken Zhani told The Patriot-News. Hospitals have the opportunity to fix the deficiencies to remain accredited.

With quality at the top of everyone's minds, hospitals ought to reevaluate their operations, as safety and quality violations could risk much-needed federal funding.

For more information:
- read The Patriot-News article
- check out the Joint Commission report