CareWell Health Medical Center in East Orange at risk of being shut down by Health Department
Among the issues at the hospital, the state Department of Health says it has evidence that CareWell Health had no X-ray or CT scans available at various dates and times.
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CareWell Health Medical Center in East Orange is under the scrutiny of New Jersey health officials. The hospital has been ordered to make improvements to patient care or risk being shut down.
News 12 New Jersey has learned that administrators were given until Wednesday to make good on corrections in care. It is a direct order from the state Health Department.
The official order calls for what’s known as an “emergency divert” of patients from CareWell Health. It’s related to staffing and services that are generally common to every hospital.
According to the Department of Health order, “The medical center has had ongoing staffing issues pertaining to CT services since Dec. 25, 2023.
The order also states, “Department surveyors have confirmed that on various dates and times, there were no X-ray or CT scan services available.”
Normally when there are such deficiencies, a patient is sent to another facility for treatment. However the DOH states, “The facility has failed to ensure critical care transport for ED patients requiring diagnostic radiologic exam."
CareWell Health was told in February to start reporting weekly on staffing at various departments. On March 6, the DOH asked for documentation that CareWell Health is complying with an order to make improvements. But News 12 learned that this documentation was not provided.
In the meantime, the state has been keeping an ambulance from another nearby hospital at CareWell Health to transport any patient who may need services that CareWell Health can’t handle.
If corrections are not made, the DOH says there could be a “curtailment of all hospital admissions.”
News 12 is waiting for a response from hospital administrators.
