CMS notifies Parkland that it's in substantial compliance with Medicare's requirements for hospitals

Today, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services notified Parkland Health & Hospital System that it has met the requirements of the Systems Improvement Agreement and is in substantial compliance with the Medicare Requirements for Hospitals. The Systems Improvement Agreement went into effect on Sept. 27, 2011. It required the hospital to retain independent consultative experts to conduct a hospital-wide analysis of Parklands operations compared to national industry standards and develop a corrective action plan to bring the hospital in compliance with Medicares quality-of-care requirements. The agreement then required the hospital to undergo a full onsite review of its operations to determine its compliance with Medicare requirements. Medicare surveyors from the Texas Department of State Health Services performed three separate onsite surveys, beginning on June 15, 2013, and continuing through July 19, 2013. In addition to the full survey, two other onsite surveys allowed the investigative teams to review areas of specific focus. This process also allowed for a more expansive review of the hospitals operations over time, to ensure a more representative and comprehensive review of the hospitals patient safety efforts.

Since September 2011, Parkland and the independent consultative experts have worked to make sure that care at Parkland reflects a focus on patient safety. The successful completion of the Systems Improvement Agreement places Parkland in the best position to have a sustainable culture of patient safety. David R. Wright Deputy Regional Administrator Consortium for Quality Improvement and Survey and Certification Operations Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-Dallas