Parkland Hospital Improving, but ED Deficiencies Persist

Parkland Health and Hospital System has made "measureable progress" in its effort to address serious quality and safety concerns, according to a report from its independent safety consultant. Still, the beleaguered hospital failed to meet the target completion dates for some tasks associated with resolving deficiencies in the ED and the psychiatric emergency department.

And the report warns that other "significant tasks and milestones may not be on schedule for timely completion."

The April 10 progress report is the first in a series of required monthly updates that will be submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by Alvarez & Marsal Health Industry Group, a Washington D.C.-based management consulting firm that specializes in performance improvement.

The 61-page report has just been released by CMS as part of a freedom of information request by HealthLeaders Media. The report itemizes about 400 tasks and action items, as well as completion dates, from the safety net hospital’s corrective action plan. The CAP was approved by CMS in February, but has not been publically released.