RBC | West Springs Hospital, the 48-bed, inpatient psychiatric facility owned and operated by Mind Springs Health, is now in full compliance with its licensing agency, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE), who also licenses on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Earlier this month, CDPHE conducted an onsite survey/audit of the facility, following multiple audits that occurred throughout 2022 that cited numerous deficiencies surrounding operations and safety. This week’s audit by CDPHE/CMS found zero deficiencies and the hospital to be in 100% compliance with safety, operational and quality measures.
Following the arrival of Mind Springs Health’s new CEO John Sheehan in early August, the organization swiftly made a number of key staffing changes within its leadership team, while also engaging Chartis Health, the nation’s leading healthcare advisory firm. Chartis, over the past few months, has been onsite at West Springs Hospital, working directly with staff to transform quality and accessibility, while also focusing on key compliance issues.
One of the core deficiencies cited in an earlier CDPHE/CMS audit was the hospital’s failure to operate a true psychiatric emergency department. Under the direction of Mind Springs Health’s new Chief Medical Officer, Dr. David Conklin, a new psychiatric emergency department was set up in just a month’s time.
“During the course of my nearly 30-year career in healthcare, I have opened two psychiatric emergency departments, which both took around nine months to open,” said Sheehan. “The amazing work (and countless hours) that went into this effort by Dr. Conklin and his team is incredible. Now our community has a safe place to go, 24-hours a day, when experiencing a mental health crisis.”
The psychiatric emergency department is open to the public and fully operating, and expects to be taking direct transfers from law enforcement in January. By having direct access to the psychiatric emergency department at West Springs Hospital, patients no longer have to wait in the emergency room at a neighboring hospital for a transfer, which sometimes can take hours and cause more distress to the patient.
Earlier this fall, the Behavioral Health Administration issued a cease and desist order on “building D” – a portion of the Hospital that has been used for overflow patients in the past and was found to be not properly licensed, despite having been audited a number of times in previous years. The BHA also had concerns about potential for elopement when patients were being moved from one building to another. West Springs Hospital has made significant improvements to the building that will ensure patient safety, and the organization intends to move forward with obtaining full licensure for building D, which will increase the available beds to 64.
“Not only is the hospital in full compliance now, we are moving forward with continuing to hire more staff, including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and mental health workers,” said Sheehan. “With our new hospital administrator, Raynard Ware, now on board, we’re confident that not only is our facility safe and providing quality care, but we can become one of the best psychiatric facilities in the country through continued training and education of our staff.”
HOPEWEST PRESS RELEASE | Special to the Herald Times
