Whistleblowers: Profit Over Safety At Sonora Behavioral Hospital

TUCSON, AZ — Whistleblowers say problems inside the Sonora Behavioral Health Hospital are so severe they pose dangers to both staff and residents, according to a Wednesday report by news station KOLD.

The psychiatric hospital ranks second in Arizona and first in Tucson for the number of severe citations by the Arizona Department of Health Services. , workers who spoke to the news outlet said it is not only understaffed, but those who work there don’t always follow policies and protocol, increasing the potential for dangerous incidents.

The workers who spoke to KOLD claim the privately run hospital puts profit over patient care and safety.

Among the problems cited by the whistleblowers was the recent attempted suicide by a patient that led to a citation from the state’s Department of Health Services. One of the whistleblowers said another patient yelled for help after finding the patient with a piece of sheet tied around her neck, alerting staff members. The patient was blue when found, but was revived.

» Read the full report on KOLD.