Governor Kotek Orders Leadership Shakeup at Oregon State Hospital After 21st Patient Death Since 2020
After another patient died at the Oregon State Hospital, bringing the number to 21 since 2020, Governor Tina Kotek announced a leadership overhaul at the hospital, including a new acting superintendent.
Kotek directed Kristine Kautz, the acting Director at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), to install new leadership to enhance patient safety less than 24 hours after the Governor’s Office received information about the death.
Dr. Sara Walker, the Interim Superintendent and Chief Medical Officer, resigned, and the governor’s orders, effective immediately, were:
- Dave Baden, the current Deputy Director of Policy and Programs at OHA, was appointed Acting Superintendent.
- The agency must create a 30-day plan to address patient care and safety issues.
Federal investigators indicated that hospital staff failed to conduct hourly checks to ensure patients were alive and breathing, leading to a patient being found dead last May.
Of the 21 patients who died at the Oregon State Hospital since 2020, nine were unexpected, and the hospital was previously warned about the risk of losing Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement eligibility.
The hospital is not currently at risk of losing certification with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as it has since implemented corrective measures.
The OHA is developing an immediate plan to provide increased oversight from the Governor’s Office.
Kotek said. “Patients and their families deserve a hospital that meets the highest possible standard of care.”
Currently I’m in my 31st year in ER / psych RN . Oregon is a disaster, a real national disgrace. Citizens initiative 110 was the final nail in the coffin for healthcare ,ranking dead last in the nation for mental health resources. Salem was spineless, clueless and gutless to realize the damage being done by letting 110 being law of the land. It took another citizen initiative to repeal 110, but way to late. Multiple generations have been destroyed due to Salem’s progressive, liberal mindset. Liberalism is in it self a mental illness. At the end of the day it is the voters fault , democrat governor and supermajority in the house and senate. Oregon’s answer to all questions and problems is more taxes !
Seems that the leadership of this left leaning 5 county state of inclusion can not grasp the diversity of the issue. Mental Health and healthy people Two things that the liberals can not get their Masters and PhD educated minds around. Don’t get me wrong here, the state needs monies to operate, so let’s see some sort of accountability for where the money goes. Clean up the swamp here at home and get the mentally challenged something more than a cardboard franchise and a warming center. Seems we traded an owl, that will move to another dead tree if the one it lives in falls down, for the health of the mentally challenged.