PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Two weeks after an ‘extremely dangerous’ man in police custody escaped the Oregon State Hospital, state health officials say the hospital has been directed to make changes to its transportation vehicles.
On Friday evening, the Oregon Health Authority announced that a surveyor with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found issues causing ‘immediate jeopardy’ at the hospital.
“The surveyor cited issues related to the secure medical transport of patients, including patients who are currently involved in the criminal justice system or are under the supervision of the state Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB),” OHA said.
Federal law requires the state hospital to fix the cited issues within the next 23 days. If the hospital fails to do so, it could lose its ability to receive financial support for Medicare or Medicaid services.
According to OHA, state hospital administrators will show the CMS their ‘corrective action plan’ early next week. If the federal agency preliminarily approves the plan, a surveyor will return to the hospital at a later date to see if it’s been implemented.
Oregon State Hospital Superintendent Dolly Matteucci said the hospital’s first priority is the safety of staff, patients and the public.
“We appreciate the findings the investigator provided us this afternoon,” Matteucci added in a statement. “We are taking steps right away to reduce the possibility that an unauthorized leave could occur during transport and potentially put themselves, staff or members of the community at risk.”
