Federal health officials are investigating a Madison hospital and threatening to terminate the hospital’s Medicare agreement after five infants were injured while in a newborn intensive care unit last year.
A letter from the Centers for Medicare Medicaid and Services dated Feb. 23 cited a deficiency at UnityPoint Health-Meriter “so serious that it constitutes an immediate threat to patient health and safety.”
A report by CMS states an infant was injured last April and the hospital failed to thoroughly investigate, resulting in four more infants with injuries which included facial bruising, skull and arm fractures.
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Hospital officials say they have addressed the most immediate concerns. The suspected caregiver in the NICU unit has been suspended and ordered not to come on the premises. Video monitoring is being installed and a security officer has been assigned to the NICU unit.
“Our hospital has been and continues working cooperatively with local, state and federal agencies involved in the review of our NICU,” said Jessika Kasten with UnityPoint Health-Meriter in a statement.
The CMS plan of correction also states the hospital will have mandatory education for all NICU staff, including volunteers on the procedures for abuse and neglect reporting.
Madison police are investigating.
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