Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff

Boston patient dies after delayed window fix

Facility manager of a state psychiatric hospital requested window replacements twice before a patient hurled a chair through a window and jumped


The facility manager of the state-owned Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center requested shatterproof window replacements twice before a patient hurled a chair through a glass window and jumped, according to an article on the Boston Globe website.

Massachusetts mental health officials said there was no money for the fix. Then, just before Christmas, a patient smashed an eighth-floor window and jumped to his death. The funds were approved the next day, the article said.

The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services found the hospital did not provide safe care in this case.

A hospital committee had discussed the need for safety windows in patient community rooms at least five times since January 2013, according to the federal report. Even after a memo went to a deputy commissioner at the Department of Mental Health in July, explaining that a patient had recently smashed a window, the glass panes remained, the article said.

Read the article.

 

 



June 25, 2014


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Cooling Towers at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln Test Positive for Legionella

Hospital among the positive tests at 10 cooling towers in South Bronx.


Prefabricated Wall Panels Accelerate UCF Lake Nona Medical Center Construction

Case study: StoPanel exterior wall systems helped Wal-Mark Contracting meet strict Florida wind-load requirements and complete 136 panels in just 11 days.


University of Rhode Island Adds Clinical Space

Space dedicated to training students in counseling-related programs doubles in size.


How Retail Design Principles Can Improve Healthcare Wayfinding

Healthcare facilities are adopting retail-inspired design strategies to make spaces easier to navigate and more comfortable for patients.


Flexible Design Strategies Help OhioHealth Maximize Clinical Space

Doing more with less was key to the renovated facility’s design.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.