Einstein Exceeded Patient Limits

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Montgomery County hospital has been cited by state regulators for exceeding the licensed patient limits in a neonatal intensive care unit for a second time.
The Albert Einstein Medical Center in East Norriton also was faulted for failing to adhere to its own previously approved plan of correction after being cited for the same violation, exceeding the patient limits.
"It was determined the facility failed to correct its deficient practice based on the Plan of Correction as submitted by the facility and approved last year," the report states.
Details of the violations were spelled out in a state Health Department report dated March 6 and made public this week by the state agency.
According to the report the neo-natal unit was licensed for a maximum of nine patients and under the previously approved plan of correction the facility was required to implement a plan to transfer any excess patients to an adequate level of care "until such time as a transfer can occur."
In three of three cases reviewed by a state surveyor Einstein failed to transfer neonatal patients to "an appropriate level of care."
In a new plan of correction filed by Einstein, the hospital said it would implement an expansion plan to accommodate additional patients.
The plan calls for the NICU capacity to be increased from nine to 13 patients. The plan calls for the expansion to be completed by June 30.
Einstein officials did not respond to questions about the current status of the expansion.
The hospital's plan of correction also calls for re-education of staff members and an audit program to ensure compliance.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com