Doctor: Larned hospital's services 'Impaired'

Chief of medical staff at St. Joseph says owners have undercut needs

By DAVE RANNEY Kansas Health Institute News Service

LARNED (KHI) — In an affidavit filed Monday in Pawnee County District Court, the chief of the medical staff at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital said the hospital’s owner has undercut the facility’s ability to meet the community’s health care needs.

Dr. David Sanger characterized the hospital’s operations as “impaired,” its future in jeopardy.

Lawyers representing Kansas Attorney General Steve Six and the Pawnee County Community Health Organization (CHO) are expected to cite the affidavit during a hearing today on whether to proceed with a lawsuit aimed at keeping the 58-year-old Larned hospital open.

In August, Central Kansas Medical Center officials announced their intent to close the Larned hospital by Sept. 30, saying it had lost money for several years. But after a Sept. 14 hearing, the two sides agreed to a 45-day “stay,” during which they would try to explore the possibility of transferring the hospital’s assets to CHO.

The 45 days ended without resolution, sending the two sides back to court.

Six and CHO have accused CKMC and its owner, Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives, of violating the court-ordered stay by allowing the hospital to drift toward closure.

Lawyers for CKMC denied the allegation, arguing that CKMC had backed off its decision to close St. Joseph and that the operation remained viable.

CKMC noted that St. Joseph hospital admitted 15 patients in August; 22 in September. Emergency room visits increased from 208 in August to 221 in September.

But in his affidavit, Sanger wrote that he had recently had to cancel or postpone medical procedures — “such as colonoscopies” — because “there was no nurse available to staff the recovery room.”

And Sanger noted that “nearly all of the permanent nursing staff” had quit since CKMC announced its intent to close the hospital, causing reliance on staffing-agency nurses who, oftentimes, are less-qualified.

He also said the hospital’s owner had:

• Allowed emergency room staffing to dwindle to one doctor and one nurse “without the ability to immediately call in extra help even in those situations where multiple patients may present ...”

• Dropped the hospital’s “quality improvement function.”

• “Substantially” reduced physical therapy services.

• Discontinued most laboratory services.

• Not repaired the dishwasher. Consequently, patient dishes were washed by hand and employees were eating off paper plates.

• Not filled clerical positions, causing some telephone calls to go unanswered.

Sanger, who has practiced medicine in Larned since 2004, said he is in the hospital “on an almost daily basis.”

CKMC has asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that since it has withdrawn its intent to close the Larned hospital CHO’s claims are no longer “ripe for decision.”

Six and CHO have asked the court to allow the case to go trial, citing the need to protect the “public’s interest” and “avoid the waste of a charitable asset...”

The hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. in Pawnee County District Court.

— Dave Ranney is a staff writer for KHI News Service, which specializes in coverage of health issues facing Kansans. He can be reached at dranney@khi.org or at 785-233-5443, ext. 128.