Feds End Post-Patient Death Oversight of Houston’s St. Luke Hospital

Federal officials have ended greater oversight of a Houston hospital that began following a patient death.

The Houston Chronicle reports the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late July notified Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center that it’s again in compliance with agency requirements and supervision was transferred back to the hospital’s accrediting body.

Medical Center CEO Doug Lawson said in a statement Wednesday that successfully completing the CMS review within six months is tremendous.

CMS earlier this year took more aggressive oversight of St. Luke’s after investigating the patient death and finding numerous safety and patient-care deficiencies.

A yearlong investigation by the Chronicle and ProPublica had documented a number of deaths and unusual complications following heart transplants. CMS’ previous termination of federal funding for heart transplants at St. Luke’s remains in place.