ER Inspector NORTH SHORE MEDICAL CENTER -NORTH SHORE MEDICAL CENTER -

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Updated September 19, 2019

This database was last updated in September 2019. It should only be used as a historical snapshot.Researchers can find more recent data on timely and effective care in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ hospitals datasets and guidance about hospital regulations.

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ER Inspector » Massachusetts » NORTH SHORE MEDICAL CENTER -

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NORTH SHORE MEDICAL CENTER -

81 highland avenue, salem, Mass. 01970

(978) 741-1215

72% of Patients Would "Definitely Recommend" this Hospital
(Mass. Avg: 73%)

4 violations related to ER care since 2015

Hospital Type

Acute Care Hospitals

Hospital Owner

Voluntary non-profit - Private

ER Volume

Very high (60K+ patients a year)

See this hospital's CMS profile page or inspection reports.

Patient Pathways Through This ER

After a patient arrives at the emergency room, they are typically seen by a doctor or medical practitioner and then either sent home or admitted to the hospital and taken to a room. A small percentage of patients leave without being seen. The chart below shows on average how long each of these pathways take. Lower numbers are better, and all times refer to the average length of time people waited.

Arrives at ER
6% of patients leave without being seen
5hrs 42min Admitted to hospital
7hrs 40min Taken to room
2hrs 44min Sent home

All wait times are average.

Detailed Quality Measures

Here is a more in depth look at each quality measure, compared to state and national averages for hospitals with very high ER volumes. Experts caution that very small differences between hospitals for a given measure are unlikely to correspond to noticeable differences in the real world.

Measure
Average for this Hospital
How this Hospital Compares

(to other hospitals with similar
ER volumes, when available)

Discharged Patients
Time Until Sent Home

Average time patients spent in the emergency room before being sent home (if not admitted).

2hrs 44min
National Avg.
2hrs 50min
Mass. Avg.
3hrs 8min
This Hospital
2hrs 44min
Impatient Patients
Left Without
Being Seen

Percentage of patients who left the emergency room without being seen by a doctor or medical practitioner.

6%
Avg. U.S. Hospital
2%
Avg. Mass. Hospital
2%
This Hospital
6%
Admitted Patients
Time Before Admission

Average time patients spent in the emergency room before being admitted to the hospital.

5hrs 42min

Data submitted were based on a sample of cases/patients.

National Avg.
5hrs 33min
Mass. Avg.
6hrs 33min
This Hospital
5hrs 42min
Admitted Patients
Transfer Time

Among patients admitted, additional time they spent waiting before being taken to their room (sometimes referred to as "boarding time.")

1hr 58min

Data submitted were based on a sample of cases/patients.

National Avg.
2hrs 24min
Mass. Avg.
3hrs 11min
This Hospital
1hr 58min
Special Patients
CT Scan

Percentage of patients who arrived with stroke symptoms and did not receive brain scan results within 45 mins.

35%
National Avg.
27%
Mass. Avg.
29%
This Hospital
35%

Violations Related to ER Care

Problems found in emergency rooms at this hospital since 2015, as identified during the investigation of a complaint. About This Data →

Violation
Full Text
EMERGENCY ROOM LOG

Apr 5, 2016

Based on interviews and records reviewed Hospital Campus A failed to maintain a Central Log of Patient #1 who arrived to the Emergency Department (ED) by ambulance on 3/25/16.

See More ↓

Based on interviews and records reviewed Hospital Campus A failed to maintain a Central Log of Patient #1 who arrived to the Emergency Department (ED) by ambulance on 3/25/16. Findings include: 1.) The Ambulance Service Report, dated 3/25/16 at 12:56 A.M., indicated Patient #1 arrived at Hospital Campus A and staff placed Patient #1 into a room in the ED. 2.) The policy titled Examination, Treatment and Transfer of Patients to other facilities, EMTALA, dated 5/2012, indicated Hospital A maintained a Central Log of all individuals who came to the Hospital for an emergency medical condition. 3.) Hospital Campus A's Emergency Department Central Log, dated 3/25/16, indicated the Hospital Campus did not register Patient #1. 4.) The Surveyor interviewed the Vice President for Quality and Safety at 10:20 A.M. on 4/5/16. The Vice President for Quality and Safety said Hospital Campus A did not register Patient #1 when Patient #1 came to Hospital Campus A's Emergency Department, on 3/25/16 (Therefore the Hospital Campus did not have Patient #1 registered on the Central Log).

See Less ↑
MEDICAL SCREENING EXAM

Apr 5, 2016

Based on interviews, records reviewed of 30 sampled patients, review of Medical Staff Bylaws Rules and Regulations, and review of the policy titled Medical Staff EMTALA, review of the policy titled Examination, Treatment and Transfer of patients to other Facilities EMTALA, and interviews Hospital Campus A failed to assure that the Hospital Campus A provided Patient #1 with an appropriate medical screening examination when Patient #1 arrived to Hospital Campus A's Emergency Department (ED) by ambulance, on 3/25/16. Findings include: 1.) The Ambulance Service Report, dated 3/25/16, indicated an Ambulance Service responded to a Police Department call for an intoxicated adolescent approximately at 1:00 A.M.

See More ↓

Based on interviews, records reviewed of 30 sampled patients, review of Medical Staff Bylaws Rules and Regulations, and review of the policy titled Medical Staff EMTALA, review of the policy titled Examination, Treatment and Transfer of patients to other Facilities EMTALA, and interviews Hospital Campus A failed to assure that the Hospital Campus A provided Patient #1 with an appropriate medical screening examination when Patient #1 arrived to Hospital Campus A's Emergency Department (ED) by ambulance, on 3/25/16. Findings include: 1.) The Ambulance Service Report, dated 3/25/16, indicated an Ambulance Service responded to a Police Department call for an intoxicated adolescent approximately at 1:00 A.M. on 3/25/16. The Ambulance Service Report indicated Ambulance Service Staff notified Hospital Campus A of the ambulance's arrival to Hospital Campus A and placed Patient #1 into a room in the ED. 2.) The Surveyor interviewed ED Physician #1 at 12:00 P.M. on 4/7/15. ED Physician #1 said Patient #1 looked well and wanted to expedite the transfer to Hospital Campus B because Patient #1 would be better served in Hospital Campus B's pediatric emergency department. Physician #1 said she did not perform a medical screening examination. 3.) Medical Staff Bylaws and Rules and Regulations, dated 11/3/15, indicated all persons presenting to the Hospital or on Hospital property who request medical care for an emergency condition (or whom a request was made or who showed symptoms indicating a possibility of an emergency medical condition) would receive an appropriate medical screening examination to determine if that person had an emergency medical condition. 4.) The policy titled Medical Staff EMTALA, dated 5/28/15, indicated all persons presenting to Hospital A's dedicated emergency department or who were on Hospital property seeking care for an emergency medical condition, (or for whom a request was made or who showed symptoms indicating possibility of an emergency medical condition), shall receive an appropriate medical screening examination within the capabilities of the Hospital, by qualified medical person to determine if that person had an emergency medical condition. 5.) The policy titled Examination, Treatment and Transfer of Patients to other Facilities EMTALA, dated 5/2012, indicated all persons presenting to the Emergency Department seeking care for an emergency medical condition would receive an appropriate medical screening examination. 6.) The Surveyor interviewed the Vice President for Quality and Safety at 10:20 A.M. on 4/5/16. The Vice President for Quality and Safety said the Hospital Campus A did not provide Patient #1 with an appropriate medical screening examination to determine if Patient #1 had an emergency medical condition when Patient #1 came to Hospital Campus A's Emergency Department, on 3/25/16. The Vice President for Quality and Safety said Hospital Campus A did not create a medical record for Patient #1 when Patient #1 came to Hospital Campus A's Emergency Department, on 3/25/16.

See Less ↑
STABILIZING TREATMENT

Apr 5, 2016

Based on interviews, records reviewed of 30 sampled patients, review of Medical Staff Bylaws Rules and Regulations, and review of the policy titled Medical Staff Emergency Medical Treatment And Labor Act (EMTALA) Hospital Campus A failed to assure that if an emergency medical condition existed, A provided stabilizing treatment, when Patient #1 came to the Emergency Department (ED) on 3/25/16. Findings include: 1.) The Ambulance Service Report, dated 3/25/16, indicated Patient #1 was brought to Hospital Campus A's ED for psychiatric problems that needed evaluation. 2.) Medical Staff Bylaws and Rules and Regulations, dated 11/3/15, indicated if the Hospital determined that a patient had an emergency medical condition the person's condition would be stabilized prior to transfer. 3.) The policy titled Medical Staff EMTALA, dated 5/28/15, indicated all patients would be transferred when medically necessary, once the patient was stabilized and transfer requirements were met. 4.) The policy titled Examination, Treatment and Transfer of patients to other Facilities EMTALA, dated 5/2012, indicated patients would be transferred when medically necessary and transfer requirements were met. 5.) The Ambulance Service Report, dated 3/25/16, indicated when Patient #1 was at Hospital Campus A, a physician told the Ambulance Service staff to take Patient #1 to Hospital Campus B and the Ambulance Service staff took Patient #1 to Hospital Campus B.

See More ↓

Based on interviews, records reviewed of 30 sampled patients, review of Medical Staff Bylaws Rules and Regulations, and review of the policy titled Medical Staff Emergency Medical Treatment And Labor Act (EMTALA) Hospital Campus A failed to assure that if an emergency medical condition existed, A provided stabilizing treatment, when Patient #1 came to the Emergency Department (ED) on 3/25/16. Findings include: 1.) The Ambulance Service Report, dated 3/25/16, indicated Patient #1 was brought to Hospital Campus A's ED for psychiatric problems that needed evaluation. 2.) Medical Staff Bylaws and Rules and Regulations, dated 11/3/15, indicated if the Hospital determined that a patient had an emergency medical condition the person's condition would be stabilized prior to transfer. 3.) The policy titled Medical Staff EMTALA, dated 5/28/15, indicated all patients would be transferred when medically necessary, once the patient was stabilized and transfer requirements were met. 4.) The policy titled Examination, Treatment and Transfer of patients to other Facilities EMTALA, dated 5/2012, indicated patients would be transferred when medically necessary and transfer requirements were met. 5.) The Ambulance Service Report, dated 3/25/16, indicated when Patient #1 was at Hospital Campus A, a physician told the Ambulance Service staff to take Patient #1 to Hospital Campus B and the Ambulance Service staff took Patient #1 to Hospital Campus B.

See Less ↑
APPROPRIATE TRANSFER

Apr 5, 2016

Based on interviews, review of 30 sampled records, review of the policy titled Examination, Treatment and Transfer of Patients to Other Facilities EMTALA, and the policy titled Physician Authorization for Transfer, Hospital Campus A failed to assure an appropriate transfer was agreed by Hospital Campus B.

See More ↓

Based on interviews, review of 30 sampled records, review of the policy titled Examination, Treatment and Transfer of Patients to Other Facilities EMTALA, and the policy titled Physician Authorization for Transfer, Hospital Campus A failed to assure an appropriate transfer was agreed by Hospital Campus B. Findings include: 1.) Medical Staff Bylaws and Rules and Regulations, dated 11/3/15, indicated if the Hospital determined that a patient had an emergency medical condition the person's condition would be stabilized prior to transfer. 2.) The policy titled Examination, Treatment and Transfer of patients to other Facilities EMTALA, dated 5/2012, indicated patients would be transferred when transfer requirements were met. 3.) The Ambulance Service Report, dated 3/25/16, indicated Patient #1 was brought to Hospital Campus A for evaluation of a possible emergency medical condition. The Ambulance Service Report indicated when the ambulance was on the property of Hospital Campus B, a nurse supervisor, at Hospital Campus B, told the Ambulance Service staff Hospital Campus B would not accept Patient #1, and return to Hospital Campus A, because Hospital Campus A violated the Emergency Medicine Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). 4.) The Surveyor interviewed ED Physician #1 at 12:00 P.M. on 4/7/15. ED Physician #1 said she wanted to expedite the transfer to Hospital Campus B because Patient #1 would be better served in Hospital Campus B's pediatric emergency department. 5.) The Surveyor interviewed the Vice President for Quality and Safety at 10:20 A.M. on 4/5/16. The Vice President for Quality and Safety said that there was no physician-to-physician communication about Patient #1's transfer from Hospital Campus A to Hospital Campus B. 6.) The document titled Physician Authorization for Transfer, dated 7/2007 a blank sample form, indicated a physician would verify that the receiving facility agreed to accept the transfer.

See Less ↑
Notes

“Average time” refers to the median wait time (the midpoint of all patients' wait times). References to “doctor or medical practitioner” indicate a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician's assistant. CMS reports the CT scan quality measure as the percentage of patients who received a scan within 45 minutes. We have reversed that measure so that all measures follow a “lower is better” pattern.

Additional design and development by Mike Tigas and Sisi Wei.

Sources

All data comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Detailed quality measures at the hospital, state and national level were last updated September 2019. Most data was collected between October 2017 and October 2018. Data on ER-related violations is from January 2015 to June 2019.

Additional Info

How We've Updated ER Inspector | Download ProPublica's Emergency Room Planning Toolkit | About This Data

Don’t See Your ER?

In some cases we aren’t able to identify the exact location of a hospital, so it doesn’t appear on our mapped search results. However, it may still be in our database – try looking for it in the list of hospitals on each state's page.

In other cases, the hospital is missing from our database because it doesn't have an emergency department.

In other cases, the hospital is missing from the federal government’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data. There are a couple of reasons why a hospital isn’t included in CMS data: it may not participate in Medicare, or it may share a certification number with another hospital (common across large hospital systems).

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