According to a LeeDaily.com article and a local news report, information surfaced over the weekend that the Pennsylvania Department of Health is investigating possible code violations at Ellwood City Medical Center.
During an inspection last week, it has been reported that state inspectors found large amounts of biohazardous waste stored improperly in a shed on the hospital grounds.
On January 15, unconfirmed reports state that the biohazard disposal company was refusing to pick up the hospital’s waste because Americore had not paid them. According to LeeDaily.com, attempts to confirm that report were unsuccessful primarily because hospital officials would not return our telephone calls.
Both the LeeDaily.com website and the Ellwood City Ledger have continued to attempt to contact Americore CEO Grant White who has not yet been reached for comment.
It is presumed this information means that infectious waste had been piling up in a shed at Ellwood City Medical Center for at least two weeks before the state inspectors found it. There is no word on if that waste has yet been removed, and, if so, where it was removed to.
This is only the latest in a series of service break-downs caused by what appears to be Americore’s financial inability to operate the local hospital. Last week, Ellwood City’s Meals on Wheels program reported that it would shut down at the end of February because the hospital can no longer provide financial support. [READ MORE]
The Lawrence County (Pa.) District Attorney’s Office is conducting a criminal investigation into hospital leaders’ financial practices.
Americore has consistently been in the news in past months with reports of their inability to pay its employees sufficiently and on time. After numerous late payrolls, Americore more recently began paying its employees in Ellwood City minimum wage only. Payroll at other Americore-owned location has been similarly rocky.
source: https://www.leedaily.com/2019/02/05/bills-biohazard-bags-americore-problems-pile/
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