State to reorganize Broughton hospital

Monday, Sept. 24, 2007

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

The state today announced a reorganization of Broughton Hospital after spending nearly a month looking at problems there.

Last month, the federal government stopped Medicaid and Medicare payments at the hospital in response to a February patient death and an injury to another patient in August.

Broughton, one of four state mental health facilities, is in Morganton, about 75 miles northwest of Charlotte.

A team sent by the state Department of Health and Human Services to evaluate Broughton found that clinical staff was not being supervised by clinical professionals, according to the state agency. For instance, nursing staff did not report to the hospital's director of nursing.

Michael Lancaster, the state's chief of clinical policy, said Monday that Broughton needs to be realigned so it is clear that the clinical team is supervised by professional staff that understands the role of clinical staff.

Lancaster led the team, including nursing and administrative assistants, in the review of the hospital and will direct the reorganization there. He hopes to have a plan in place within a month and hopes that federal government will approve Medicaid and Medicare payments to Broughton within two months, he said.

Broughton receives about $1 million a month in Medicaid and Medicare funding.

"We have to be comfortable that this is the right thing and staff is comfortable," Lancaster said. "We do not want to be premature. I'm more considered about getting it right than doing it quickly."

The federal government stopped Medicaid and Medicare payments to Broughton last month because of concerns over the February death of 27-year-old Anthony Lowery and an injury to another patient in August.

An autopsy said that Lowery, who had a history of schizophrenia, died of asphyxia after a staff member sat on his torso. Lowery tried to bite the man during that time, the report said.

On Aug. 19, a patient who was supposed to be under close supervision fell, prompting the federal government to look more closely at staff supervision at the hospital.

The federal government will review the plan and make at least one unannounced visit to the hospital to check its progress before deciding whether it should reinstate payments, said Mark Van Sciver, spokesman for the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.


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