Medicare uncovers prevalent outdated prescriptions at hospital

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently issued a report to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. enumerating several deficiencies it uncovered during its last resurvey at the Commonwealth Health Center.

Health corporation CEO Juan N. Babauta confirmed this with Saipan Tribune, describing the report as voluminous and with majority of deficiencies dealing with outdated prescription drugs.

“The report is very detailed.and we’ve been having a lot of issues with respect to outdated prescription drugs in our hospital. That’s the Medicare findings in the latest report we received,” said Babauta, adding that the corporation has two weeks to respond to the report and is now in the process of completing the response.

Babauta described the other concerns as minor deficiencies, including unclosed doors and close contamination issues at some hospital sections.

Medicare representatives inspected the hospital in September this year as part of the federal agency’s resurvey of the facility.

“But I am happy to say that there are no major issues with respect to meeting the standards set forth by Medicare. We’re working on our response and we are going to submit it on the deadline. We will respond accordingly to all their findings,” he said.

He said the corporation has a quality assurance person that ensures all Medicare requirements and standards are being met. Babauta said the corporation takeover has also no impact on the situation with Medicare because this deals with federal requirements and eligibility.

Medicare received a complaint against the hospital’s services in January 2010, prompting them to conduct an investigation. The federal agency found serious deficiencies in the hospital’s services and threatened to terminate its “provider agreement” if corrective actions are not enforced.

Resurveys are part of Medicare’s requirement that validates the content of corrective plans; visits are unannounced. In the 112-page Statement of Deficiencies first issued by Medicare in 2010, it said that CHC’s nursing services failed to meet the six conditions involving governing body, quality assessment and performance improvement, medical staff, nursing services, radiologic services, and infection control.

Early this year, CHC was also placed on emergency status due to lack of supplies and other immediate needs. During this declaration, $1.7 million was reprogrammed to pay for the immediate needs of the hospital. Inadequate budget also prevented the hospital from filling important vacancies in key areas, resulting in noncompliance with certain Medicare requirements.

Among these positions is the director for Medical Affairs, which has been vacant for four years. “This is unacceptable.we need a director for Medical Affairs,” Babauta said.

Dr. Dan Lamar was recently appointed to the position in an acting capacity.

Every year, CHC receives from $8 million to $10 million in reimbursement from Medicare for various services.