Health

C.M.S. Surveyors Unexpectedly Walked Into Juan F. Luis Hospital On Sunday

ST. CROIX -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (C.M.S.) without warning walked into the Juan F. Luis hospital at 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, to conduct an inspection of the facility following reports of staff shortage in the hospital's emergency room, and equipment failure issues, The Virgin Islands Consortium can confirm. According to sources with firsthand knowledge of the visit, the C.M.S. surveyors walked straight into the facility's emergency room on Sunday, beginning a surveying process that is expected to end on Thursday. This information was corroborated by Senator Kurt Vialet, chairman of the 31st Legislature's Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Services. Mr. Vialet said the C.M.S. surveyors held a meeting with J.F.L. Acting CEO Richard Evangelista last night, and the senator said he would be visiting the hospital at 9:00 a.m. today. Along with the emergency room inspection, the C.M.S. surveyors will examine the hospital's governing board, nursi...