“Completely Disrespectful” - RI Legislator Calls Out Director Power for Leaving Hearing Early
Friday, April 02, 2021
A Rhode Island legislator is expressing outrage that the Director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals left the House Oversight hearing early on Thursday.
The hearing, intended to get information from state officials about the future of the beleaguered Eleanor Slater Zambarano Hospital, which was cited in 2019 for failing to provide proper care to 72% of patients sampled, lasted for more than four hours.
BHDDH Director Kathryn Power began the hearing with a presentation about the plans for the future of the hospitals.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"Director Power only participated for an hour, then left the hearing without telling us," said Representative Julie Casimiro (D-Dist. 31, North Kingstown, Exeter).
"Both doctors left the meeting, too, leaving only their PR guy on the call, Ryan Erickson," she added.
"All committee members invested four hours...the department leaders did not do the same," said Casimiro. "They disrespected the committee and the hearing process. And it was completely disrespectful to patients and their families."
"No Plans to Close Zambarano"
House Oversight Chair Representative Patricia Serpa (D-Dist. 27, West Warwick, Coventry, Warwick) began the hearing by saying she would not ask officials to be sworn in -- meaning they would be testifying under oath -- and that she was counting on them to "tell the truth."
"It’s pretty clear to me the problems we’re facing are due to lack of unified plans — it appears there is no one voice speaking out of BHDDH," said Serpa. "It appears there is no unified plan for Eleanor Slater and Zambarano and this is what has caused such mayhem for patients and their families and the staff, who are all stakeholders in any new initiative that his embarked upon. Families are reasonably upset with the plans — or lack of plans — for their loved ones."
Power spoke to what she said were unfounded "rumors" that the state planned to close Zambarano, and addressed what she said was an immediate facilities issue at Zambarano that could require the temporary transfer of certain patients.
Power did, however, emphasize that the hospital system is focusing on placing those patients that it can into the community.
"I want to dispel the rumor that we want to close the Zambarano campus," said Power. "This new administration has included $60 million in its FY22 budget for the construction of a new facility on the grounds of Wallum Lake."
"Over the past 24 hours there was a fairly difficult problem as a result of the fire marshal's visit to Zambaranom," said Power, who said there was an issue with the med gas system that delivers oxygen throughout the hospital and to oxygen dependent patients.
"Looking at what happened, if some of the patients need to be moved to the Regan campus [in Cranston] — [we] need to make some decisions as to what to do as next steps," she said.
"I’ve always said no one should live their life in a hospital — with new medications, and group homes and assisted living opportunities, there’s absolutely no reason why most individuals can’t live in a community as long as they have the desire and ability to survive well with a comprehensive discharge process and that they have the level of care and support they need," said Power.
"I’m not discharging anybody hospice or anybody to the street," said Power, in response to legislators' questions. "If there is a transfer that is very different (in terms of patient safety)."
Power noted in her report that 22 "non-forensic" patients had been discharged since July 2020.
"No patient was discharged against their will," said Power.
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