From
the Desk of Kathi Ann Stringer[CLICK HERE TO SEE LETTER IN PDF FORMAT]
From
the Desk of Kathi Ann Stringer
4665 Countrygate Court, Riverside, CA 92505 Cell: (951)
515-6214
Far South Director of the California Network of Mental Health Clients
Division of Licensing & Certification of Health Facilities
Attn:
District Administrator: Bonnie Holle
Subject:
Riverside County Regional
Medical Center
ETS Arlington Campus – Out of Compliance & Patients at Risk
Follow-up on Corrective Action for
Complaint
# CA2500037635
Dept Health Rep Last Site Visit:
Carolyn McHugh, HFEN
Provider ID# 050292
May 3, 2007
Dear Bonnie Holle,
PROBLEM: Patients are still not off ETS within 23 hours
and 59 minutes.
Psychiatric patients are being illegally held over the maximum time limit of 23 hours and 59 minutes at Riverside County Emergency Treatment Services (ETS) on the Arlington Campus, a division of Riverside County Regional Medical Center (RCRMC). At this time, there is a significant shortage of beds and patients are compulsory to use the imported recliner “Jerri type” chairs in the dayroom and also in the bedrooms. From my observation, there are more Jerri chairs scattered about ETS then there are beds.
Action:
I sent a letter to L&C dated January 18, 2005 requesting an onsite review and inspection of ETS. In part, your response letter sent to me, Kathi Stringer dated August 9, 2005, from Joan Chang stated,
“L&C validated the complaint allegation during the onsite visit. Pursuant to our investigation, L&C sent the facility a statement of deficiencies and the facility submitted an acceptable Plan of Corrective to the Department (see - Complaint # CA2500037635). If L&C issued a statement of deficiencies form, the facility was required to submit a plan of correction that met federal and state requirements. The same federal from, known as a “CMS 2567”, is used for both purposes. If L&C substantiated your complaint allegation, we have enclosed a copy of the final CMS 2567 for your review”
I have read the CMS 2567 for Complaint ID # CA2500037635 and as additional supportive evidence it stated a finding by L&C that from December 2004 to May 2005, that 744 ETS patients out of 4,034 ETS patients were not out of ETS within the 23 hours and 59 minute time limit. Due to this out of compliance issue with statuary code, L&C issued a demand for Plan of Correction to be completed by 6/2006.
Problem:
It is now May 2007 and the same problem exists, if not worse.
It appears the Plan of Correction as FAILED.
The Plan of Correction submitted by ETS to L&C and (signed by RCRMC/ETS official Douglas D. Bagley) was supposed to be completed by 6/2006. It is nearly a year beyond this completion date for the Plan of Correction.
Also, the ultimate solution offered by ETS on Form CMS 2567 states, “The second effort of the collaborative partnerships is to evaluate the completed assessment of County Facilities Planner regarding the remodeling proposal to determine if the best plan is to overhaul the existing facility, build a new separate ETS, or relocate the entire Program to a new site.” [Ref pg 3] At this time I have not seen any ETS remodeling or a separate ETS location 11 months after the project completion date.
Therefore:
Due to patients NOT being off the ETS unit under the statuary time limit, they
are DENIED many of their other statuary rights (please see copy of attached
letter dated January 18, 2005 for a comprehensive list of DENIED statuary rights
when ETS patients are not off the unit under the statuary time limit).
I suspect that another unannounced visit or inspection to examine
the last 12 months of admits and discharge on ETS in the 23 hour and 59 minute
time limit will fail as before, and at this time I strongly request
action to suspend or revoke their license, or
(a) demand ETS stop accepting patients after full bed capacity, or;
(b) ETS to show evidence of a realistic plan already in action to build another facility with a completion date, or;
(c) ETS to show evidence of a realistic plan already in action to relocate to a larger facility with a completion date.
I hope you are able to expedite this matter because the problem is affecting a significant population of patients, and also putting clients at higher risk to be unnecessary secluded and restrained on a daily basis. In the interim:
Thank you for your time and consideration to this very
important matter for myself, mental health clients, and for my constituents that
I represent with the California Network of Mental Health Clients.
Sincerely,
Kathi Stringer, Advocate
Far South Director of the California Network of Mental Health Clients
Kathi’s Mental Health Review http://www.toddlertime.com
Enclosed:
Letter to L&C dated January 18, 2005
L&C letter to Kathi Stringer dated August 9, 2005
Form CMS 2576 stamped dated July 26, 2005 at 4:42 PM
Chart – ETS Stats on Admits/5150 w data
Chart – ETS Stats on Yearly Admits
ITF Minutes from Year 2000