Tacoma psychiatric hospital gains safety accreditation after problematic opening
Wellfound Behavioral Health Hospital, operating at a limited level since opening earlier this year, gained accreditation this week to expand patient admissions.
The Tacoma hospital, at 3402 S. 19th St., is run in a partnership between health systems MultiCare and CHI Franciscan. It has not been fully operational, in part because it lacked a safety accreditation from the independent, nonprofit Joint Commission.
Among other things, the voluntary accreditation is needed for billing many insurance providers, including Medicaid and Medicare.
On Dec. 4, CHI Franciscan CEO Ketul Patel sent an email to that health system’s employees with an update on Wellfound’s status.
A copy of the email was obtained this week by The News Tribune.
In the email, Patel stated: “Today, the facility successfully achieved accreditation from the Joint Commission and can now begin the process of opening additional beds to serve our communities.”
Wellfound, when asked about the email, sent the following response to The News Tribune on Thursday: “The Joint Commission visited Wellfound this week and informed us yesterday we successfully met accreditation standards. The Joint Commission Executive Committee will review the findings and make a final determination. We expect to receive full accreditation.”
Following the accreditation, Wellfound plans to open 12 additional beds each month in 2020, operating at its full 120-bed capacity by the end of the year, according to the email.
“Once fully operational, Wellfound will serve more than 5,000 patients each year,” Patel wrote in his email.
The $41 million facility first opened in May with limited beds available.
Patel, in the Dec. 4 email, described that opening “a purposeful and phased approach to allow time to identify and refine processes, protocols and ensure the facility was prepared to offer a high-quality, safe environment for patients and staff.”
In June, the hospital’s CEO, Maureen Womack, left Wellfound and was replaced with interim CEO Matt Crockett.
That same month, the hospital’s leadership elected to put the accreditation effort on “pause.”
Crockett previously led Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital in Marysville, whose past operations ran into problems with state inspectors, as documented in a Seattle Times investigation this summer.
Wellfound defended the choice of Crockett, telling The News Tribune in a statement in August: “Matt has a proven track record in opening psychiatric hospitals, and we look forward to his leadership as Wellfound works toward achieving accreditation status.”
Upon his arrival, Crockett navigated not only work toward accreditation but also had to address the July suicide of Kevan Carter Jr., a Wilson High School graduate who had repeatedly sought help at Wellfound, according to his family, only to be turned away each time.
In an email sent at that time to staff, Crockett reflected on Carter’s death. He also stated that Wellfound was “assessing work flows and many procedures in the (crisis stabilization unit) and inpatient units. We are looking for opportunities to ensure our work is safe and comprehensive.”
Wellfound in August placed a temporary hold on admissions to its crisis stabilization unit, and in October reopened with just eight inpatient beds in operation.
Since that time, the facility has been working toward its Joint Commission accreditation.
Patel’s Dec. 4 email turned the focus on what’s next.
“We are pleased that Wellfound has achieved accreditation and can now begin to address the critical need for behavioral health care in Tacoma and the greater Puget Sound region by providing access to safe, quality mental health care for patients and families in our communities,” he wrote.
This story was originally published December 6, 2019 at 9:14 AM.
