Suicidal Patient Absconds From Hospital

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A suicidal patient under a court committment order was able to abscond from a Bucks County hospital due to a lack of security controls and adequate staff at the facility.
According to a nine-page report from the Pennsylvania Health Department the patient was later found hiding behind a bush on the grounds of the Grand View Health facility in Sellersville.
The patient had been involuntarily placed in the facility under a court approved commitment order issued after the patient apparently attempted suicide by overdosing on fentanyl.
"The facility failed to provide a safe environment," the report states.
As a result of the Sept. 1 incident state surveyors on Sept. 9 declared a state of immediate jeopardy, forcing the hospital to prepare an immediate action plan to address the lack of adequate staff and security.
That plan included the hiring of an outside firm, installation of new security and alarm equipment and ensuring that patients judged suicidal be placed under virtually constant observation.
One of the added features would provide a system to automatically lock all exits from the hospital simultaneously.
Despite those additions, the hospital still failed to comply with patient rights requirements, according to the report.
The state surveyors reported that the suicidal patient had complained earlier on the day of the incident about not being immediately released. Later the patient couldn't be located and a "Code Yellow" was declared.
The patient who escaped from the hospital had also been placed under a one-on-one watch, but was nonetheless able to walk away.
Hospital officals did not respond to questions about the report.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com