Complaints about improperly stored medical files, maintenance and billing issues and not enough active ambulances at Floyd Medical Center have prompted the hospital’s president to meet with EMS workers Monday.
The issue is complicated by a turf war between FMC and Redmond Regional Medical Center about ambulance zones. Redmond wants to be the primary responder in more areas and asked the Region 1 EMS Council on Friday to make that happen.
David Loftin, Region 1 EMS coordinator for the state Department of Human Resources, said Redmond’s request will probably gain stronger consideration in light of recent allegations that have surfaced on Internet blogs about conditions at Floyd’s EMS department.
Loftin has said, though, that these issues won’t affect patient safety. He said allegations regarding ambulances not being mechanically sound are false based on his inspections. Loftin said he will speak with Floyd’s EMS director, David Young, who FMC president and CEO Kurt Stuenkel said has been with FMC a number of years.
“There are things missing, but the hospital has changed its policy about maintaining its supplies, which affects things being on ambulances,” Loftin said, adding FMC has followed the pharmacy’s trend of keeping just enough on hand and no extra supplies. “The last time I inspected, they were back on there.”
Loftin, who said he only recently became aware of the complaints, including claims that Floyd isn’t running enough active ambulances, said he did an inspection in November that was actually a re-inspection visit because FMC was missing equipment during a previous inspection on its active ambulances. Loftin said FMC has eight ambulances, with five required by the agreement with the Region 1 EMS Council to be active at all times. The other three are backup in case one of the others breaks down, but they are not required to be fully stocked.
The Rome News-Tribune asked both FMC and Loftin for the inspection records, but they have not been made available. FMC denied access to the documents, saying their release is not required under the Open Records Act.
The newspaper also asked for response-time records, which Loftin said he had but couldn’t release until officials in Atlanta approved the Rome News-Tribune’s Open Records request.
He did say that both Floyd and Redmond have great response times through the end of October.
“They are very close, averaging 6 minutes (to arrive at the scene of an EMS call), which is better than the rest of the region,” said Loftin, noting the rest of the Northwest Georgia 16-county region averages 8-10 minutes, and Atlanta averages 12 minutes. The goal is 8 minutes.
Loftin said he did not have FMC’s response-time data for November and December, which he requested Friday, because the hospital changed the program used to track it. He said he hopes to have all the reports early this week. Loftin said he is investigating all the allegations, which he said could affect the Region 1 EMS Council’s decision regarding Redmond’s request to add three new zones — Coosa, West Rome and Garden Lakes — to its ambulance service.
“This won’t affect patient safety because they provide great service, and if the times are up to 8 minutes, then they are still average,” said Loftin. “But the council isn’t looking at it just as a safety issue but whether they are keeping their promise or not.”
In the spring of 2007, Redmond requested additional zones, which was denied because Floyd produced a fifth ambulance for active service. The agreement was to keep the fifth one active to properly service the county. When the council considers Redmond’s request, it will look at whether Floyd has met that agreement, said Loftin. He said the veracity of the anonymous complaints, including not enough ambulances to provide coverage, would come up in this discussion.
“You have to consider that behind these blogs aren’t all disgruntled employees because the zones are mentioned several times,” said Loftin.
Loftin said the process for the zoning decision will begin at the next Region 1 EMS Council meeting Jan. 15, when the chairman (to be elected at the annual meeting) will assign the request to the transportation committee, which will determine whether the issue needs to be addressed by the full council. Loftin said then the Floyd County Commission will have a chance make its recommendation or the EMS council will have a hearing to hear both sides. He said the Department of Human Resources Board will make the final decision.
Haley Crider, FMC’s director of public relations, said she isn’t surprised Redmond is petitioning for the zones.
“This is their second attempt, but we will go through the hearing process since Redmond did not prevail last time, and we intend to defend the zones assigned to us,” she said. “I feel like there are enough (ambulances) to cover zones … and we’re continually monitoring.”
Crider said zoning decisions are based on efficiency, economy and benefit to the public welfare.
“Most zoning decisions weigh heavily on response times, and Floyd’s response time has always been excellent — up there with the best in the state,” said Crider. “The percentage of requests for rollover (requests for help from Redmond) is also low, and we have made improvements since the last time Redmond requested zones. We will look at all the concerns, separate fact from fiction and take them all very seriously. I will trust their (EMS council) decision will be based on fact.”
Crider said revenue would be a concern if Redmond did acquire the zones, but she couldn’t provide exact figures Friday night when contacted. “I can’t access the records, but I can tell you it is a concern,” said Crider. “We are the designated trauma center, and we feel we have a responsibility to provide coverage and intend to continue doing so.”
In regard to patient safety, Crider said, FMC is taking the complaints seriously and plans a full investigation, starting with the meeting Stuenkel is having Monday at 8 a.m. at the EMS headquarters station on Martha Berry Boulevard to talk with the EMS staff about the concerns.
There were also supposedly improperly stored records in a shed, which Loftin said he thought stored supplies. He said that may have changed with the new supply policy. There was also a report of a heater inappropriately placed in the back of an ambulance. That has since been corrected, Loftin said.
Criticism about the improperly installed heater drew a question from Stuenkel. “As for the heater improperly installed, I need to investigate, but why didn’t they report it or correct the situation themselves?”
Stuenkel said he is seriously looking into the allegations, many of which he said he was not aware of until the claims showed up online.
“There are a number of things that are of concern. They mention billing improprieties, and we have a rigorous compliance process here,” he said. “If there’s falsification of records, we take that seriously, and I have charged my compliance officer with investigating.”
Stuenkel said he is looking into whether the maintenance and supply of the ambulances are up to par.
He said the hospital is also working to track and properly store medical records, adding all old records from the substations and headquarters will be consolidated and taken to a secure place off site.
Loftin said the problems seem mostly internal.
“These mostly seem like internal issues between management and employees,” said Loftin. “(I don’t know) if they will talk to me because the blog indicated they are afraid to talk to me because it will get back to the director.”
Stuenkel said the EMS department was restructured about a year ago and that he hopes Monday’s meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss the issues that have been raised.
He said he wants to provide an atmosphere where employees aren’t afraid to step forward with concerns.
