Lawmakers say state canceled tour of hospital where man ‘burned alive’ in whirlpool

Hopemont Hospital in Terra Alta, West Virginia. (West Virginia Department of Health photo)

Lawmakers say that the Department of Health Facilities leadership canceled legislators’ chance to tour a state-run hospital where an elderly, nonverbal man died after being left in scalding water.

This is the second instance where lawmakers said the department has canceled their attempts to get answers about the patient’s gruesome death at Hopemont Hospital in January.

The long-term care facility is located in Terra Alta.

Del. Amy Summers, co-chair of the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability, said the tour had been scheduled for Monday.

“The tour was canceled on Friday evening because the secretary was not available. I suggested we meet with the CEO anyway and that request was denied,” said Summers, R-Taylor. “I am exploring my next steps with the Speaker of the House.”

Annie Moore, spokesperson for the newly-created Department of Health Facilities, confirmed in an email that the meeting was canceled “ due to an unexpected personal issue” for department Secretary Michael Caruso.

“The Department of Health Facilities is actively engaged in rescheduling the meeting as soon as possible. Secretary Caruso wanted to be present for the tour to personally respond to questions and address concerns the committee members may have had,” Moore wrote.

Del. Diana Winzenreid, R-Ohio

Del. Diana Winzenreid, R-Ohio, planned to attend the tour.

“I am viewing this in good faith that there is no ill intent,” she said. “I am less concerned about the scheduling challenges, and I’m more concerned about the overall lack of urgency to address the situation and provide answers.”

Winzenreid, Summers and other lawmakers previously scheduled a meeting April 16 with Caruso and a Hopemont executive.

The meeting was canceled due to, according to lawmakers, interference from the executive branch under Gov. Jim Justice.

Justice, who is running for U.S. Senate, vehemently denied that accusation, saying he did not control legislative meetings.

The death at Hopemont remains under investigation, according to the governor.

The patient, who required round-the-clock care, was placed in a whirlpool with a water temperature of 134 degrees and left in the tub for at least 47 minutes, according to Disability Rights West Virginia.

A state inspection in February found that water temperatures at the facility did not meet regulatory guidelines for six months, and a staff member “chose to keep it warmer per staff request.”

The report also found, based on staff interviews, medical records reviews and observation, that the facility failed to ensure “one of six residents had an environment which was as free of accident hazards as was possible.”

Four nurses, including three contract employees, were fired from Hopemont following the patient’s death.

“I’m deeply troubled by the incident at Hopemont, and I’m concerned about the inability to allow access to the facility to ensure this was, in fact, an isolated incident,” Winzenreid said. “ This population is so vulnerable, and not being able to advocate for themselves, it is our job to do so.”

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