Director wants to move forward with Dix move

Raleigh, N.C. — The director of the state's new mental hospital in Butner says plans to transfer patients there from Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh should move ahead.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday that interim Central Regional Hospital director Michael Lancaster recommended this week that the state begin finalizing efforts to move patients.

The state has been working for months to complete the transfer, but it has been delayed because of safety issues.

"While there have been issues that we have addressed at CRH and will continue to address as a result of the transition to a new building and new technology, we feel confident none of these issues poses a significant risk to patients or staff," Lancaster said in a letter to DHHS Secretary Dempsey Benton.

The Legislature said this summer that Central Regional must comply with two accrediting agencies's standards before completing the move.

Lancaster said it's not possible, however, to meet one of the agency's standards until there are patients in the facility. Representatives of the other agency have told regulators everything is in place for a successful transfer.

Central already had admitted patients from nearby John Umstead Hospital.

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Latest Comments

THe hospital is built!! Had it been built in Raleigh, Butner staff would have been having the same problems, It is time to quit the stalling and move the patients Dix was a great hospital my grandson was there ,He could not have gotten better care any where. He did not get the care from the building he got it from the staff lets give the new hospital the same care!!

dko
August 28, 2008 10:00 a.m.

While I think Butner was a poor choice as well, it's built. It is too late now. This is a self imposed technicallity.

ezLikeSundayMorning
August 28, 2008 9:43 a.m.

"Lancaster said it's not possible, however, to meet one of the agency's standards until there are patients in the facility." then this statement: "Central already had admitted patients from nearby John Umstead Hospital." ????????????

michelle.s
August 28, 2008 8:11 a.m.

A state-of-the-art hospital that would be a wonderful asset to the mental health care system was built in a site where few will travel. CRH relies heavily on agency and travel nurses because they can't find nurses that are willing to make the commute. That in itself is a mult-million dollar problem. Butner was a poor choice when the majority of the work force is in Wake County. This project has cost many people their jobs because they either live south of Dix and the commute would add an additional 45 minutes on to their already long commute, or the work hours (which are different than Dix) conflict with school and child care schedules. Not many child care centers are open at 5:30 a.m., which is when a Raleigh resident would have to leave to get to work on time. There is much more to this than just moving patients - peoples jobs and families are at stake here, and that should not be taken likely by the DHHS upper management.

fearna
August 28, 2008 8:00 a.m.

Part of the problem here is US. I'd say 80 percent of the people who read this article (and 100% of the attorneys) would be inclined to sue if they thought that someone wasn't following regulations and they could stand to profit from a suit. Can't blame them for being reluctant to move ahead without having everything straight.