NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital has agreed to undertake a series of reforms to settle claims the hospital system frequently puts patients experiencing mental health emergencies at risk by failing to provide adequate supervision and allowing them to leave hospital care without authorization, the state attorney general’s office said Monday.
The settlement, which follows a years-long investigation by the AG’s office, includes a $500,000 fine, and a promise by NewYork-Presbyterian to pay a $10,000 penalty for any future violations of the settlement terms, which include new protocols for evaluating patients. Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement the settlement would protect patients and help ensure “that no one is left without care in their most vulnerable moments.”
The settlement includes no admission of wrongdoing, but requires the hospital to improve screening policies to better identify whether patients are at risk of suicide or violence. It also requires NewYork-Presbyterian to strengthen patient monitoring to better ensure that patients seeking care do not elope — that is, leave the hospital without authorization…