Correction: A previous version of this article reported that the licensing investigation shut down trauma care at Memorial Hospital Central.
Dive Brief:
- Children's Hospital Colorado, which operates the pediatric unit at Memorial Hospital Central in Colorado Springs, is set to give up management of the unit due to issues identified by state and federal investigations. Beginning June 13, pediatric patients at the location will be seen under Memorial's license. Children's will continue to operate an outpatient and urgent-care center, as well as a therapy center in Colorado Springs.
- Details of the investigation have not yet been made public, but Children's interim CEO Jena Hausmann told The Denver Post the issues are not a matter of quality of care, but rather concern licensure rules around the two separate hospitals sharing building space and staff.
- In a separate decision, the two hospitals released a statement Wednesday that the Memorial emergency room has voluntarily stopped treating severe pediatric trauma cases. Those cases, estimated at fewer than 10 per month, will now be transported to a designated pediatric trauma facility in Denver.
Dive Insight
Children's has reportedly been under investigation by the state health department and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since February regarding emergency care at the Colorado Springs location.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment director Dr. Larry Wolk told The Denver Post that Children's "pre-empted" the full investigation's conclusion by voluntarily providing its formal plan of correction this week.
He added that details of the case would be made public once the investigation is completed in the next several weeks.
As the Post notes, this leaves Colorado Springs without local severe-trauma care for children. The Children's campus in Aurora and Denver Health are now Colorado's only locations for pediatric severe trauma.
The statement by the two hospitals says they "remain committed to providing care locally and are discussing plans to increase pediatric trauma capabilities, including specialized pediatric facilities and physician coverage."