Asheville, North Carolina, October 18, 2025
News Summary
State health officials have recommended placing Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC, on Immediate Jeopardy after investigating serious patient safety and staffing issues. Failure to maintain a safe patient environment, including misidentification and inadequate monitoring, were major findings. Protests highlight ongoing nurse staffing issues, while CMS contemplates further actions and potential termination of hospital services. Mission Hospital aims to enhance recruitment efforts amidst the turmoil.
Asheville, North Carolina — State health officials have recommended that Mission Hospital be placed on Immediate Jeopardy due to serious concerns over patient safety and staffing issues. The recommendation is a response to incidents investigated during July, August, and September, where failures related to patient rights and nursing services were highlighted.
A letter addressed to Mission Memorial Hospital CEO Greg Lowe cited that hospital staff failed to maintain a safe environment for patients. Specific failures included issues with patient misidentification and noncompliance with established telemetry escalation pathways. Reports revealed that nursing staff did not respond to or adequately assess telemetry patients experiencing emergent needs, raising alarming questions about patient monitoring protocols.
Additionally, there were noted deficiencies in monitoring patients during transport, particularly in regard to continuous pulse oximetry. Infection prevention precautions were found to be inaccurately implemented and communicated by nursing staff, compounding the jeopardy status of the facility.
The state’s inspection of the hospital was conducted from September 15-19 and September 22-26, uncovering multiple instances that led to the Immediate Jeopardy designation from incidents dated July 26, August 19, and September 4. An incident on September 18 concerning infection prevention was deemed “abated” during the inspection, although the overall compliance status persisted.
An exit conference on October 2 indicated that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recommended a 23-day termination of hospital services due to the hospital’s noncompliance with health regulations. The CMS letter noted they would determine compliance and subsequently notify the hospital of findings and proposed actions.
In the meantime, HCA Healthcare’s Mission Health received notification of deficiencies during a survey conducted between November 13 and December 9, 2023. The Immediate Jeopardy finding became public knowledge in early February 2024. Following subsequent inspections held between February and May 2024, CMS suspended or lifted the Immediate Jeopardy designation.
In response to ongoing staffing concerns, nurses protested outside Mission Hospital, expressing apprehension regarding health and safety, recruitment and retention issues, and the adequacy of meal and rest breaks. They claimed that HCA Healthcare had failed to recruit and retain enough nursing staff to ensure patient safety. Specific nurse representatives at the rally expressed that the hospital’s current environment was not conducive to retaining staff.
Despite these concerns, a spokesperson for Mission Hospital refuted claims of inadequate recruitment efforts, emphasizing that recruitment remains a top priority for the facility. By the end of 2025, Mission Hospital plans to participate in over 140 recruitment events across the region to bolster its nursing staff.
The hospital criticized union-led disruptions as undermining the professional environment necessary to attract top talent. Meanwhile, nurses have expressed their commitment to continuing protests to ensure quality healthcare in the community.
Frequently Asked Questions
What recent events led to the Immediate Jeopardy designation for Mission Hospital?
State health officials recommended that Mission Hospital be placed on Immediate Jeopardy due to incidents investigated in July, August, and September, related to patient rights and nursing services.
What specific issues were found during the inspections?
Specific failures included issues with patient misidentification, responses to telemetry patients with emergent needs, inadequate monitoring during transport, and inaccurate implementation of infection prevention precautions.
How did the CMS respond to the findings at Mission Hospital?
The CMS recommended a 23-day termination of hospital services due to noncompliance and will determine compliance following further inspections.
Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Immediate Jeopardy Designation | Recommended by state health officials due to patient safety concerns. |
| Inspection Dates | Inspections were conducted from September 15-19 and September 22-26. |
| Nursing Staff Issues | Failure to monitor patients adequately and respond to emergent needs. |
| Protests | Nurses protested over staffing and health and safety concerns. |
| Future Recruitment Plans | Mission Hospital plans to participate in over 140 recruitment events by the end of 2025. |
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Additional Resources
- WLOS: Immediate Jeopardy for Mission Hospital
- Avery Journal: Crush the Crisis Drug Take Back Day
- WLOS: State Officials Revisit Mission Hospital Concerns
- WLOS: Nurses Protest Staffing Shortages at Mission Hospital
- Wikipedia: Mission Hospital
Author: STAFF HERE ASHEVILLE WRITER
The ASHEVILLE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREAsheville.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Asheville, Buncombe County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Asheville Bread Festival, LEAF Festival, and mountain sports tournaments at Biltmore Estate. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau, plus leading businesses in hospitality and brewing that power the local economy such as the Biltmore Estate and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. As part of the broader HERE network, including HERECharlotte.com, HEREGreensboro.com, HERERaleigh.com, and HEREOBX.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into North Carolina's dynamic landscape.
