Mold forces relocation of Haley hospital patients

TAMPA About a half dozen patients in the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital Spinal Cord Injury Center had to be moved and a hallway sealed off after mold was discovered in an area near the patient care section in May, hospital officials say.

The mold was found during repairs after a pipe burst in March.

As a precaution we relocated the patients until the work was complete and retests confirmed no microbial growth, said Kateriniea Littles, a Haley spokeswoman.

The patients were moved for about three weeks, said Littles. The work on the first floor of the Spinal Cord Injury Center egan May 28 and is expected to wrap up in the middle of August, Littles said.

The disruption led at least one patient to complain to Congress.

Problems began March 21, Littles said, when a half-inch hot water line ruptured in the mechanical space of the new polytrauma center. The center was under construction at the time.

The ruptured line cause water to flow into the first floor of the Spinal Cord Injury Center, Littles said, with most of the damage limited to sections of the first floor that contain the VA Internet Caf, office spaces, storage rooms, conference rooms, locker rooms and a hallway.

Archer Western DeMaria, the general contractor on the polytrauma center project, called in a company called DRIRITE to perform initial drying services, Littles said. DRIRITE conducted an inspection of each room to identify the scope of the water damaged areas using infrared camera technology.

Archer Western DeMaria then hired Ericksons Drying Services Corp., a licensed contractor for water damage and mold remediation, which brought in a certified industrial hygienist, Littles said.

The cleanup effort has been extensive.

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Mold forces relocation of Haley hospital patients