North Texas Hospital Shut Down After Tax, Patient Safety Troubles

TERRELL (CBSDFW.COM) - Kyle Lee received an unpleasant surprise when he came to Renaissance Hospital in Terrell.

It was shut down.

Last week, he needed six stitches in his head after getting hurt while working around the house.

Lee says, "I came up here to get some stitches removed, and I didn't know the place was closed. I was like uh, I don't even know where to go now."

The city of Terrell, Kaufman County, Terrell ISD, and the Trinity Valley Community College District seized Renaissance Monday because it racked up $441,000 in delinquent property taxes from 2011 and 2012. Constables now stand guard.

The Terrell city manager says 150 hospital employees suddenly lost their jobs.

The hospital discharged some patients, and transferred others elsewhere -- without notifying the state as required.

A department of health spokeswoman tells me the agency doesn't know where those patients are now, and who's responsible for their medical records.

Aside from the tax issues, CBS 11 has learned the hospital ran into trouble with federal and state regulators.

Records we obtained show just in the last two weeks, the state started the process of revoking the facility's license.

In a letter dated January 30th, the state told the hospital it's revoking the license after two patients died, saying "...The nursing staff failed to provide assessments, nursing interventions, and nursing care..."

In addition, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid told Renaissance the problems it found there represent "immediate jeopardy" to patients, and as a result, ended federal payments to the facility.

Renaissance was the only hospital in Terrell.

That concerns Kyle Lee. "I don't like it. What happens if something happens?"

The city of Terrell owns the building and leased it to Renaissance.

The city manager tells me the city terminated the lease.

In addition to back taxes, the hospital owes the city about $9,000, and the city said it's already starting the process to find a new company to reopen the facility.

We were unsuccessful in contacting the owner, Dr. Tariq Mahmood.