The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) warned Ascension Saint Thomas in late August that it could terminate the hospital’s participation in the Medicare program following a medication error at the Midtown campus pharmacy.
According to a news release published to the Ascension Saint Thomas website on Aug. 21, four joint replacement patients were mistakenly administered potassium phosphate instead of the proper anesthetic medication, mepivacaine. The hospital says that the patients experienced “adverse health reactions,” and immediate care was administered.
“Upon identifying the error on Aug. 14, hospital leadership self-reported the event to state regulators. We have since implemented several changes to our pharmacy processes and safety protocols targeted at preventing this error,” the release stated…