Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1161749
59 FINANCE CMO / CARE DELIVERY Seattle Children's fixes mold-related violations that killed 1 patient By Ayla Ellison C MS found patient safety violations at Seattle Children's hospital related to mold detected in its operating rooms in May, local TV station KING-TV reported. CMS planned to terminate the hospital's Medicare and Medicaid contracts due to the violations. However, Seattle Children's upgraded its air filtration system, and CMS notified the hospital Aug. 12 it would retain the contracts. e hospital closed its 14 main operating rooms May 18 aer tests revealed traces of Aspergillus mold in several operating rooms and equipment storage rooms. Over the past two years, the mold led to one pa- tient's death and five other infections, ac- cording to KING-TV, which cited a state- ment from Seattle Children's. Aspergillus is a common mold that most peo- ple breathe in every day without adverse ef- fects. In rare cases, people with weakened im- mune systems or lung diseases could develop health issues from the mold spores, according to the CDC. e patients who developed As- pergillus infections aer exposure to the mold at Seattle Children's were at higher risk of in- fection due to medical procedures they had, the hospital told KING-TV. Aer the mold was detected at Seattle Chil- dren's in May, hospital officials reported the issue to the Washington State Department of Health. e department performed a three- day on-site survey of the hospital in late May and found more than two dozen violations of federal regulations and hospital policy, including failure to properly maintain air fil- tering systems that fed to operating rooms, according to KING-TV. Seattle Children's made several changes to ad- dress the deficiencies. e hospital switched to an updated and sanitized air handler, im- plemented a new cleaning process that uses ultraviolet light to disinfect surfaces, installed a new humidification system, and sealed po- tential sources of air leaks in operating rooms, according to e Seattle Times. The hospital reopened its main operating rooms July 4. At a news conference July 3, Seattle Children's CMO Mark Del Beccaro, MD, said daily air-testing results showed the operating rooms were safe, according to The Washington Post. n Third physician says he was punished for complaining about patient safety at New York hospital By Anne-Marie Kommers H erbert Kunkle Jr., MD, is now the third physician to file a lawsuit against Auburn Community Hospital for allegedly punishing him for complaining about patient safety issues, according to Syracuse.com. The June 28 lawsuit claims the hospital terminated Dr. Kunkle's contract last year shortly after he told CEO Scott Berlucchi that elderly patients were in danger due to de- layed hip fracture surgeries. Mr. Berlucchi and CMO John Riccio, MD, took no action and gave Dr. Kunkle the impres- sion he was causing trouble, the suit says. The hospital said it would not comment on pending litiga- tion but added, "We do want our patients and the commu- nity to know that we won't be distracted by these matters and are committed to providing the best healthcare to our patients." Another physician, Gregory Serfer, MD, alleged in a law- suit last year that the hospital failed to act when Jeremy Barnett, MD, a former intensive care unit physician, provid- ed dangerous patient care. Karen Odrzywolski, MD, filed a suit earlier this year claiming she was punished for blowing the whistle on Dr. Barnett, a claim the hospital denies. n Infection outbreak linked to physician's wife mishandling vaccines, Kentucky medical board says By Mackenzie Bean A Kentucky-based physician received five years of probation for allegedly allowing his unlicensed wife to improperly handle flu vaccines, which led to a three-state infection outbreak, according to the Lexington Herald Leader. The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure ordered Paul Mc- Laughlin, MD, to pay a $5,000 fine for delegating medical tasks to someone without a medical license and contributing to a public health crisis. Dr. McLaughlin's wife, Fairshinda Sabounchi McLaughlin, owns and operates Location Vaccination. The medical board alleges Ms. McLaughlin improperly handled and stored the vaccines, causing individuals in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana to experi- ence adverse reactions. Patients reported swelling, redness and hard lumps at injection sites. The medical board said Ms. McLaughlin then prescribed antibiotics and steroids to these patients without taking specific "medically appropriate" steps. Tracy Prewitt, Dr. McLaughlin's attorney, called the allegations "unproven" and said Dr. McLaughlin denies "all issues relating to quality of care," according to the Lexington Herald Leader. n