The court-appointed patient care ombudsman for Hutcheson Medical Center said conditions at the Fort Oglethorpe hospital have deteriorated so badly that she has notified the state licensing agency.
Susan Goodman said in a report to Bankruptcy Court that she did so due to "the extreme financial circumstances, the abrupt layouts and service line closures, the near IJ (Immediate Jeopardy) staffing concerns that were anticipated and averted at the nursing home, the unclear status of pulmonology patient and Ed specialist support, the time needed for safe effectuation of patient care transfer, and the destabilized situation that PCO believes will surely lead to further, unreported staff departures."
She said she "cannot opine anything other than that care has been or will soon be materially adversely affected as a result of the bankruptcy."
The U.S. Trustee in North Georgia has asked that the hospital's bankruptcy case be dismissed because it faces so much debt. A bankruptcy judge, however, agreed to allow a possible sale of the hospital to proceed.
Ms. Goodman said since her last report the hospital situation has significantly destabilized. She said two layoffs have occurred - the last involving some 75 positions. Ms. Goodman called this "significant for its abruptness, size, and debtors' inability to immediately pay affected employees."
The ombudsman said no members of the senior leadership were cut with the layoffs that included closing the intensive care unit, outpatient services, the main hospital operative service and two medical clinics, including pulmonology on the main hospital campus.
Ms. Goodman said she was told of five cases of patients going to the clinic for appointments only to find the door locked without any sign in place. She said confusion regarding access to medical records was also reported with some patients saying the hospital medical records department sent them to the closed office for records.
Ms. Goodman said the chief medical officer resigned his position citing concerns of "accelerated stress on staff, deficit of supplies, and overall morale" along with concerns about his lack of involvement in the decision to close ICU and the clinics. He said his contract was rejected and services terminated on his expected pay day.
Ms. Goodman said the chief medical officer had been providing sole pulmonary specialist coverage for the emergency department.
She said on the day of her visit there were only six patients in the hospital. She said hospitalist coverage is provided almost exclusively by one hospitalist per week. She said one community physician who helped out with coverage said he was taking himself off the list due to non-payment issues since mid-July.
Ms. Goodman said the emergency room remained open with census at around 50 compared to an earlier 76 visits per day.
She said the Parkway campus staff has been reduced to working four days per week.
Ms. Goodman said she has had increased difficulty getting timely information from hospital officials and was told that staff had been directed not to speak with her