Thursday, December 27, 2018

Hospital Failed to Probe Abuse Complaint



By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Pittsburgh behavioral hospital reinstated an employee who was still under investigation for sexual abuse of a patient, according to a report from the Pennsylvania Health Department.
The worker at the 49 bed Lifecare Behavioral Hospital was finally terminated after his arrest at the facility in October, according to a recently released report.
State inspectors, who were sent to the facility in response to a complaint, concluded that the hospital failed to properly investigate two separate complaints on the same unidentified staffer.
Records reviewed by the state surveyors showed one of the victims stated that the worker came into her room and said, "Let me rub your back."
She said she got nervous, got out of bed and started to walk out of the room. She said she told him she didn't need a back rub.
The first complaint against the employee was based on an incident that occurred between April and July.
A second complaint against the same employee for inappropriate touching was filed on Aug. 14, according to the report. He was suspended, but then reinstated on Sept. 10 when hospital officials concluded the complaint was unfounded.
The facility "reinstated the employee on Sept.10 absolving him of any wrongdoing regarding the Aug. 14 incident," the report states, "despite the employee remaining a suspect for the earlier incident."
The employee was at work at the facility on Oct.16 when police placed him under arrest.
The hospital filed a plan of correction in which it said workers would be retrained on the correct procedures to follow in response to a report of sexual abuse. The plan also calls for increased use of surveillance cameras and monitoring of employee activities.
Hospital officials also stated that they were asked by police not to immediately investigate the initial report.
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