Hospitals are supposed to be places of hope and healing, but the federal government thinks one Detroit medical facility is breeding infection, not curing it.
“Significant deficiencies” with infection control – that's why Harper University Hospital, part of the Detroit Medical Center midtown campus, may lose federal funding after a surprise inspection in October.
In a letter, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notified Harper Hospital they could be terminated from the Medicare program because "We have determined that the deficiencies cited are significant and limit your hospital’s capacity to render adequate care and to ensure the health and safety of your patients.”
Overall, cleanliness is the biggest issue cited.
For example, the inspection report describes disgusting conditions inside the kitchen that cooks meals for the patients. Reports of bugs flying around the ICU and unsanitary conditions for surgical tools used in high-risk labor and delivery rooms.
A frightening thought for those relying on the DMC campus Harper Hospital is a part of.
“It’s shocking, it’s shocking! Something I wouldn’t think would happen in a hospital like this that’s so big. You’d think it’d be under control,” says one man who wants to remain anonymous because he has a loved one being treated inside.
Harper University Hospital got a surprise visit from the Department of Health and Human Services in October to investigate complaints of unsanitary conditions
A report details the findings stating during a tour of the Intensive Care unit, “three different times small black bugs were observed flying around."
An employee was quoted as saying, “these bugs have been here for a long time, more than three months”
The Nourishment room in the ICU was found to have dirty floors and the report states, “all drawers where patient nourishment snacks were stored had debris and crumbs” and “three utensil dispensers were filled with debris and dust.”
An employee was quoted as saying, “that is disgusting. I wouldn’t use that silverware.”
There were also concerns with the sanitation of surgical tools in the labor and delivery high-risk unit, among other issues.
“It sounds bad. I wish it wasn’t like that. I hope it’s not like that! I hope they do something about it soon tho,” says the man before entering the hospital to visit a patient.
The hospital responded to the report saying they, “corrected the various issues identified related to dietary, facilities and environmental services and developed and implemented ongoing actions to sustain the corrections.”
