HELENA — The Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services announced on Thursday, April 21, 2022, that Kyle Fouts would no longer serve as the administrator of the Montana State Hospital.
The announcement comes several days after the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ended its provider agreement with the state hospital because of dangers to the health and safety and patients.
In a February CMS report, inspectors said the hospital failed to protect patients from repeated falls, which contributed to the death of one patient. Three other patients died from COVID after the hospital failed to keep infected patients separated from non-infected patients.
Hospital employees criticized Fouts’ leadership after CMS announced the end of the provider agreement.
The interim hospital administrator, Carter Anderson, had served in the DPHHS Office of the Inspector General since 2018. The inspector general’s office oversees certification and licensing for the state health department.
In mid-March, the health department signed a $500,000 contract with Mountain-Pacific Quality Healthcare, which is a “healthcare improvement organization,” according to its website. The organization began to put in place corrective action plans to address the issues raised by CMS. Mountain-Pacific’s work will continue through June.
In addition, consultants from Alvarez and Marsal Public Sector Services, LLC, visited the hospital this week as part of the state health department’s new approach to running the state hospital and other facilities. Alvarez and Marsal established an executive support team for most state-run health facilities, which includes a Executive Facilities Director. Two people from the consulting firm - Diane Rafferty and Chris Baglio - will share that role.
Fouts will now serve as the administrator of the Intensive Behavior Center, a short-term treatment facility in Boulder for individuals who have intellectual disabilities. It is a 12-bed facility that "provides an environment for building healthy, effective, and fulfilling lives so those receiving treatment can live successfully in the community after discharge."
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