Parkland Board to Withhold Patient Safety Report

Concern of litigation prompts board to withhold report

The Parkland Memorial Hospital board has said they won't make a report on improving patient safety public, according to a report in the Dallas Morning News.

According to the paper, the board met with their attorney Monday and decided not to release the report out of concern of litigation.

In January, changes were recommended for 15 departments including outpatient clinics and psychiatric services after a psychiatric emergency patient died in 2011.

The hospital reached an agreement with the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), promising changes would be made and that funding would continue.  They had previously told Parkland it no longer qualified for government funding because of problems that put patients in "immediate jeopardy" but allowed the hospital to remain open under federal oversight.

A lawsuit over the death of the psychiatric patient was filed last month, the paper reports.

In January, Parkland's interim CEO Dr. Thomas Royer said the report would be released after it was approved by CMS. That decision now appears to be on hold.

Contact Us