Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1169964
10 CFO / FINANCE Johns Hopkins All Children's faces record state fines By Ayla Ellison F lorida regulators intend to hit Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital with $804,000 in fines for infractions ranging from failure to secure oxygen tanks to their carts to infection control issues, according to the Tampa Bay Times. e fines levied against the St. Petersburg, Fla.-based hospital are the latest action regulators have taken against the hospital for problems in its heart unit. Johns Hopkins All Children's heart unit first faced scrutiny in November 2018 when the Tampa Bay Times published an investigative report high- lighting high mortality and complication rates among heart patients. Aer the article's publication, the hospital reported 13 adverse events to the state. Six events involved patient deaths. Four of the largest fines, which are for $197,000 each, will be for Johns Hopkins All Children's failure to track quality-of-care data, according to the Tampa Bay Times. A Tampa Bay Times analysis of state records re- vealed six-figure fines are rare. e records, which are incomplete before 2010, showed the largest single fine Florida regulators have imposed on a hospital is $75,259. Johns Hopkins All Children's was fined $4,500 earlier this year for failing to report numerous incidents of patient harm. In financial documents released Aug. 29, Johns Hop- kins Health System said it was aware of the potential fine and violations had been corrected, according to the Tampa Bay Times. n New York hospital campus to close in October By Ayla Ellison T o close a $10 million deficit, Eastern Niagara Hospital is cut- ting 50 jobs and shutting down its campus in Newfane, N.Y., according to Buffalo Business First. Eastern Niagara plans to close the Newfane campus, previously known as Newfane Inter-Community Memorial Hospital, in October. The prop- erty will then be put up for sale, according to WKBW. Board chairman Rocco Surace said the changes will help ensure East- ern Niagara's long-term viability. "We are committed to serving the community for many years and doing it well," he said, according to Buffalo Business First. "This sustainable service model is what is needed to ensure our hospital's viability in the community." Eastern Niagara's campus in Lockport, N.Y., will remain open. The hos- pital will "consolidate and streamline" inpatient beds and nursing units in Lockport, according to Buffalo Business First. n Illinois hospital plans closure By Ayla Ellison B rentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health planned to close Metro- South Medical Center in Blue Island, Ill., on Sept. 30, according to ABC7 Chicago. Quorum announced in June that it filed an application with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board to close the 314-bed hos- pital. At that time, Quorum said it would close the hospital by the end of the fourth quarter if unable to secure a buyer for the facility. The company later said it planned to close MetroSouth Medical Center by the end of the third quarter. On Aug. 19, hospital workers received letters informing them that the hospital plans to shut down Sept. 30. Workers will receive paychecks until the end of October, according to ABC7 Chicago. n Hospital closures in Ohio, W.Va. will result in 1,200 layoffs By Ayla Ellison E ast Ohio Regional Hospital in Martins Ferry and Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling, W.Va., will lay off about 1,200 employees when they close in October, according to The Intelligencer. President and CEO Daniel Dunmyer announced plans in early August to close the two hospitals, which are owned by Irvine, Calif.-based Alecto Healthcare Services. He said it would take up to three months to shut down the hospitals. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice filed Aug. 8 in Ohio states EORH will close on or around Oct. 7. Mr. Dunmyer cited mounting financial losses as one of the factors forcing the hospitals to shut down. He also placed blame on Wheeling (W.Va.) Hospital's alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law. Wheeling Hospital is one of the healthcare organizations inviting those affected by the impending closures to apply for jobs at their facilities. WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital in Glen Dale, W.Va., and Elmhurst, a Wheeling-based assisted living residence, are also offering job opportunities to affected employees, according to The Intelligencer. n