ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) —

A state survey team is recommending that Mission Hospital in Asheville be found in compliance with federal regulations in five categories of services that had put the facility in jeopardy of losing its Medicare provider agreements over the past six months.

After more than six months of threatened sanctions over serious deficiencies found in a state investigation, officials at HCA Healthcare, Mission Hospital’s parent company, celebrated the notification dated June 3 and said they were awaiting a final decision from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“We have just received formal notification from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services that the recent re-visit from state surveyors found Mission to be compliant with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Conditions of Participation,” HCA North Carolina Division President Greg Lowe said in the email forwarded to 828newsNOW by a Mission Health spokesperson. “This confirms their recommendation from February to remove the Immediate Jeopardy findings by CMS. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has sent their recommendation to CMS and we are awaiting their final decision.”

Mission Hospital was facing a deadline on Wednesday, June 5, to correct a long list of deficiencies in its practices identified by the North Carolina State Survey Agency or risk having its Medicare provider agreement terminated by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

In a brief, technical letter to Chad Patrick, CEO of the hospital and Asheville Surgery Center, a member of a NCDHHS acute care team that conducted a site survey May 20 to May 23 notified the hospital that it was making a positive recommendation of compliance in several categories that had drawn the hospital scrutiny since late last year: the hospital’s governing body, patients’ rights, Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) programs, nursing services, laboratory services and emergency services.

The recommendations were being forwarded to the CMS Division of Survey and Certification in the Atlanta regional office for a final determination on whether the hospital can keep its Medicare provider agreement.

A CMS official had not yet replied to emails seeking comment.

MISSION HOSPITAL FACING DEADLINE ON FIXING DEFICIENCIES

The question of compliance had been up in the air since late last year, when the North Carolina State Survey Agency conducted a complaint survey and found the hospital was out of compliance with Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor ACT (EMTALA) requirements, partly related to delays in triage and medical screening in the emergency department.

The hospital submitted, and amended, plans of corrective action. CMS informed the hospital on March 26 that it had reviewed the plan of correction and found it acceptable.

AGENCY ACCEPTS MISSION HOSPITAL’S PLAN TO ADDRESS TRIAGE DELAYS

“Of course, surveying is an important part of regulatory and accreditation processes, and we will continue to welcome surveyors and ongoing accountability. It is all of our commitment to caring for patients and our constant pursuit of excellence that make Mission Hospital a destination for advanced healthcare,” Lowe said in his email to staff.

According to the CMS records, a statement of deficiencies and plan of correction, the changes were in response to some serious incidents. The report includes minute-by-minute details on the case of “Patient #2,” a 66-year-old who was brought to the hospital by ambulance on Oct. 17, 2023, faced delays in getting evaluated and treated, and subsequently had a fatal cardiac arrest.

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This story has been updated and rewritten to reflect the letter provided by the NC Department of Health and Human Services.