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Six months of inspections Jefferson Abington Hospital: October 2023 to March

Inspectors said the 8-foot-long power cord for a virtual monitoring system posed a strangulation risk to behavioral health patients.

State inspectors cited the Montgomery County hospital twice between October 2023 and March.
State inspectors cited the Montgomery County hospital twice between October 2023 and March.Read moreAnton Klusener/ Staff illustration/ Getty Images

Jefferson Abington Hospital was cited for safety violations involving behavioral health patients and patients at risk of falling in the first quarter of this year.

The two incidents are the only times inspectors visited the Montgomery County hospital for potential safety violations between October 2023 and March.

Here’s a look at the publicly available details:

  1. Feb. 16: Inspectors cited the hospital for failing to prevent a high-risk patient from falling. A patient fell without anyone noticing immediately because staff did not monitor the patient closely enough, even though the medical record indicated a high risk of falling. The hospital retrained staff about evaluating patients for fall risk and proper monitoring protocol.

  2. March 12: Inspectors cited the hospital for strangulation risks in two behavioral health patient rooms. Inspectors said that patients could use the 8-foot-long power cord for a virtual monitoring system to hurt themselves. The hospital removed the devices from the patient rooms and agreed to station nurses in the rooms to monitor patients.