Somerville Hospital Leaders Admit Mistakes In Laura Levis's Death

SOMERVILLE, MA – Somerville Hospital leaders apologized to Laura Levis's widower in person Tuesday after admitting to their role in the 34-year-old's death. Officials from the Cambridge Health Alliance, the hospital's parent organization, said "multiple failures" contributed to Levis's death at a meeting with Peter DeMarco, according to the Boston Globe.

CEO Patrick Wardell told DeMarco he is "very sorry" and added that he takes "personal responsibility for this," the Globe reported. Officials previously did not comment on Levis's death for fear of legal action, but DeMarco has repeatedly said he will not sue the hospital and just wanted to know what happened.

DeMarco recently wrote a story in Boston Globe Magazine detailing the events of Sept. 16, 2016, the day his wife suffered a severe asthma attack. Levis brought herself to the hospital, found the door locked and called 911. She was found near the entrance to the ER about 10 minutes after placing the call, according to the Boston Globe.

Levis died in the intensive care unit at CHA Cambridge Hospital seven days later.

CHA publicly apologized for its role on Levis's death after DeMarco's story received national attention. The organization issued a statement last week to NBC Nightly News, which read in part, "We could have done better, and we will do better. There are no words to express our sorrow over the loss of Ms. Levis. More importantly, for the role we played in compounding her family's grief, we are deeply sorry."

A spokesperson for the Cambridge Health Alliance told the Globe the hospital has since improved access to the emergency room, communication between emergency services and hospital staff and education regarding defined responsibilities of those involved in patient treatment.

At the Board of Aldermen meeting last week, DeMarco asked Somerville Hospital officials to meet with him and discuss what has changed since Levis's death, the Somerville Journal reported.

Alderwoman Stephanie Hirsch and others introduced an order asking police and fire officials to discuss the routing process and geo-locating ability for emergency calls and how each department addresses a 911 call and health officials to provide education plans on asthma attacks.

Previously: Laura Levis Story Prompts Somerville Aldermen Order

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