Parkland Memorial Hospital once again has placed a patient at "immediate jeopardy" of harm that could cost the Dallas County facility its future government funding. Although details of the case were not released, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services notified Parkland Thursday that immediate improvements must be made or the hospital will lose its Medicare funding on Sept. 6. "Unless the immediate jeopardy to patient health and safety is removed, the Medicare agreement with your hospital will be terminated," said the letter sent to Dr. Fred Cerise, Parkland's chief executive officer. Parkland "no longer meets the requirements of participation in the Medicare program because of deficiencies that represent immediate jeopardy to patient health and safety," stated the letter, signed by Ginger Odle, manager of CMS' enforcement branch.
