KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Years after the death of a patient at the Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric hospital revealed mismanagement and under staffing at the Oakland Drive institution, two lawmakers have learned that not much has changed.
Kalamazoo State Representative Jon Hoadley and State Senator Winnie Brinks of Grand Rapids asked the State Auditor General to look into it late last year, and the report that they got back shows that understaffing has led to continued problems over the last three years.
There were over 160 incidents involving patients, 8 of them serious, and a number of staff injuries. Hoadley says they found that workers were putting in an unusual amount of overtime to cover shifts and that can lead to mistakes and accidents.
Hoadley, who is vice-chair of the House Appropriations Committee, says it may take increasing salaries to attract more qualified personnel to the openings.
