Pa. Health Department Finds Violations at Sharon Regional
SHARON, Pa. – Sharon Regional Medical Center, which is owned by Steward Health Care, was notified about several building safety and health violations following inspections of its facilities in March by the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Division of Safety.
According to public records released 41 days after the building inspections on March 12-14, the inspectors checked buildings at 740 E. State St. The health inspection was conducted March 29.
According to the health inspections, Sharon Regional failed to maintain adequate supplies to provide surgical services for all 29 surgical cases reviewed over a six-month period from September 2023 through March 2024. And at least two cardiac procedures were attempted but unable to be completed due to a lack of necessary supplies.
The health department reported that nonpayment issues created vendor holds, and there was an insufficient budget to maintain an adequate stock of supplies and equipment. It was noted that the hospital must wait for money to be released from Stewart Health Care Systems before payments can be made.
Steward Health filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code earlier this week and told a U.S. Bankruptcy court in Texas it is seeking buyers for its 31 hospitals, which include Sharon Regional, Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital in the Mahoning Valley.
Other concerns noted at Sharon Regional include patient call lights malfunctioning; lack of a sanitary environment due to improper documentation of proper cleaning of washers, sterilizers and endoscopic reprocessors; lack of documented smoke, fire alarm, sprinkler system and fire door testing; and delayed testing of the electrical system due to a change of generator maintenance vendor following a nonpayment issue. Other maintenance concerns listed included chipped paint, exposed wires, nonintact flooring, a cracked pipe and evidence of prior ceiling leaks.
Documents indicated Sharon Regional had addressed some, but not all, concerns listed in the report prior to it being released.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
