by Malcolm Butler
Northern Louisiana Medical Center says state health regulators have cleared the remaining condition-level deficiencies cited during a July inspection, marking what could be a significant step in the hospital’s effort to restore full Medicare compliance.
In a statement provided to the Lincoln Parish Journal on Wednesday, NLMC CEO Monica Adams confirmed that surveyors with the Louisiana Department of Health returned to the hospital this week for a follow-up visit.
According to Adams, the revisit resulted in all remaining condition-level deficiencies being cleared, including issues involving the hospital’s cardiac catheterization laboratory.
“LDH did return to our hospital this week for a follow up and all condition level deficiencies were reportedly cleared during this revisit — including the Cath Lab, which is now fully operational and no longer on diversion,” Adams said.
However, Adams noted the hospital has not yet received the official survey report documenting the findings.
“Because we have not yet received the official survey report for this revisit, we do not want to speculate on specific regulatory findings,” she said.
The latest development follows a series of state inspections that began in June and culminated in a July 8 follow-up survey that found the hospital remained out of compliance with Medicare’s Conditions of Participation for Patient Rights. During that survey, inspectors removed an Immediate Jeopardy finding after the hospital placed its cardiac catheterization laboratory on diversion, but the Patient Rights condition-level deficiency remained, leaving the hospital subject to continued regulatory oversight.
In a July 14 letter accompanying the survey findings, the Louisiana Department of Health notified the hospital that it remained out of compliance with Medicare’s Conditions of Participation and that the Medicare termination process would continue. The agency directed the hospital to submit a Plan of Correction within three calendar days and advised that compliance with all remaining Conditions of Participation had to be achieved during a follow-up survey before the scheduled Aug. 30 termination date to avoid further action.
Northern Louisiana Medical Center submitted its Plan of Correction on July 21, outlining dozens of corrective actions designed to address deficiencies identified by the Louisiana Department of Health and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Among the most significant commitments was keeping the catheterization laboratory on diversion until its backup power system was fully restored.
The plan also detailed operational improvements throughout the hospital, including installation of a wireless nurse call system for the ambulatory surgery center, replacement of approximately 60 over-bed tables, expanded preventive maintenance tracking, additional infection-control measures, revised policies, enhanced quality monitoring and increased oversight by hospital leadership and the Board of Trustees.
Under the Medicare survey process, hospitals cited with condition-level deficiencies must demonstrate to regulators that corrective actions have been implemented before those deficiencies can be removed. The follow-up survey conducted this week was expected to determine whether Northern Louisiana Medical Center had successfully corrected the remaining deficiencies identified during the July inspection.
If confirmed by the LDH official survey report, the latest revisit would represent a positive step towards a turnaround for the hospital. Just weeks ago, state regulators warned that Medicare termination proceedings would continue unless Northern Louisiana Medical Center corrected the remaining condition-level deficiency before a follow-up survey conducted ahead of the Aug. 30 deadline.
The official survey report is expected to document the state’s findings from the latest revisit and identify whether any new deficiencies were cited during the inspection. As of Wednesday evening, that report had not been released.
In her statement, Adams said efforts have resulted in meaningful operational changes.
“Today, our processes include more structured monitoring, greater departmental ownership, increased leadership engagement, and an even stronger organizational commitment to patient safety and accountability,” Adams said. “These are improvements that will continue benefiting our patients long after the survey process concludes.”
Adams credited physicians, nurses, department leaders and employees with implementing the changes while continuing daily operations.
“This process has challenged every department in our hospital, but it has also reinforced who we are,” Adams said. “Our team has embraced accountability, worked collaboratively, and remained focused on providing safe, compassionate care for our community.”
The Lincoln Parish Journal has requested the official survey report from the Louisiana Department of Health and will report its findings once it becomes available.
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