A patient at Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehab was inappropriately touched. The hospital didn’t report it.
The patient was being treated for brain cancer and epilepsy, and had limited ability to communicate.
Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation Hospital was cited by state health inspectors for not reporting the suspected sexual abuse of a patient to authorities, a hospital inspection report released last month shows.
Inspectors found that two staffers at the specialty rehabilitation hospital in Center City had reported to their supervisor that they saw an individual touching a patient’s genitals while also touching themselves in November 2023. But the incident was not documented in the patient’s medical record, and was not reported to adult protective services.
The patient was being treated for brain cancer and epilepsy and had limited ability to communicate, according to the citation from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The person who allegedly touched the patient inappropriately was not a hospital employee, the citation notes, without providing further information on the individual.
Hospitals are required to report any suspected instances of abuse to the Department of Human Services, which oversees child and adult protective services.
In response, administrators updated the hospital’s policy to clarify which cases must be reported and retrained staff on reporting requirements. A question about suspected abuse was added to the daily safety huddle checklist to ensure staff are being asked routinely about any potential incidents.
“Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of care,” Damien Woods, a spokesperson for Jefferson Health, said in a statement. He declined to provide further detail.
» READ MORE: Main Line Health was cited twice in recent months for failing to report child sexual assault
Main Line hospitals also cited for failing to report abuse
The Department of Health has cited multiple hospitals in recent months for failing to make reports of suspected child abuse.
Two Main Line Health hospitals were cited earlier this year for not reporting suspected sexual assault of patients under age 18.
Bryn Mawr Hospital treated a 17-year-old who was raped but never reported the case to ChildLine, which acts as a clearing house for potential abuse cases for the Department of Human Services.
Lankenau Medical Center treated a minor for sexual and physical assault by three people, but also did not report the case to child protective services.
In July, the health inspectors cited Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital for failing to report that it had treated a patient that family believed had been sexually assaulted.