Tampa General Hospital came under investigation recently after two psych patients were able to kill themselves within three days. The hospital is being sued by at least one of the dead patient's families already, who say that the psychiatric unit is understaffed. That family's attorney is asking the state attorney's office to file manslaughter charges against the hospital.
Now, the facility has worse troubles, as CMS has concluded that care there falls under its minimum levels, as well. According to CMS staffers, who threatened to stop permitting the hospital to bill for Medicare funding in one month unless problems are fixed, at least five patients from the hospital's psych ward were sleeping in the hallways so they could be watched by one staff member.
To learn more about the hospital's issues:
- read this St. Petersburg Times piece
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