Parkland Makes Progress on CAP, but Safety Concerns Remain

Parkland has made "only minimal progress" in recruiting permanent leadership, as well as consistent attending physician coverage for its psychiatric services, the report states.

In June, the hospital terminated its interim director of psychiatric services because of a delay in obtaining a current Texas RN license. Parkland has contracted with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical center to obtain locum tenens psychiatrists, but actual staffing has been delayed.

Parkland is also behind schedule in resolving systemic nursing deficiencies. Acuity-based staffing has not been implemented.. Despite recent training in the creation and documentation of care plans, "chart audit results suggest continuing deficiencies," the report says.

Keeping on the CAP schedule is particularly important as Parkland mounts a nationwide search for a permanent CEO. Thomas Royer, MD, was named interim CEO in November 2011. His contract was extended at least once, and his current contract is set to expire in September. Branson has said that she is "hopeful that we will have made significant progress toward the completion of the CAP and that will be a plus for anyone looking at the job."

In an e-mail exchange, David Wright, the deputy regional administrator for CMS Dallas, acknowledged that CMS "had hoped Parkland would be farther along, but we understand the reasons why some of the fixes have been delayed, and we have confidence the hospital will be able to make sustainable corrections within the time period spelled out by the Systems Improvement Agreement."