Boston-based Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, a state-run hospital, is investigating inpatient deaths in response to allegations of neglect and suboptimal care for patients with mental health disabilities.
The investigation follows a May 8 Massachusetts Disability Law Center report that determined the hospital failed to diagnose and treat a cancerous lesion on a patient's nose for more than a year and half while they were admitted to its mental health unit.
The Massachusetts Disability Law Center, a private, nonprofit advocacy group that serves as Massachusetts' protection and advocacy agency, found the hospital's failure to provide the patient with appropriate care "constituted neglect and contributed to his painful, untimely death'' in August 2020.
After receiving the advocacy group's findings and recommended corrective actions, Lemuel Shattuck Hospital conducted a comprehensive review of the patient's care and "concurred with the clinical concerns identified by DLC's expert," the report said.
Although the hospital has traditionally reviewed all unexpected deaths to identify opportunities to improve care, Lemuel Shattuck is now developing a process to review all deaths without regard for diagnosis or condition, the department said. The hospital's goal is to review all deaths by July.