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

Design, Compartmentation, Training: How Defend-in-Place Strategies Can Protect Patients

Effective defend-in-place strategies depend on compartmentation, fire-rated assemblies and ongoing staff training to protect patients who cannot quickly evacuate.


Milestone Marked with Topping Out Ceremony for BayCare Hospital Manatee

Construction remains on schedule, with crews continuing work on interior spaces, infrastructure and clinical areas throughout the facility.


NYC Health + Hospitals Experiences Third-Party Data Breach

The healthcare organization was notified that a business associate, Solventum Health Information Systems, suffered a data security incident.


Making AI Work for Predictive Maintenance

AI can support predictive maintenance by helping managers anticipate equipment failures, reduce downtime and improve operational efficiency.


Thomas Jefferson University Unveils Plans for Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Allentown, PA

Located at One Center Square, in downtown Allentown, the campus will include more than 54,000 square feet of newly constructed medical education space.


 
 


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.