Arizona wants unit where patient raped to stay open

PHOENIX— A health care company’s decision to close a Phoenix facility where an incapacitated woman was raped and later gave birth drew criticism Friday from state officials. The closure would force numerous patients to be relocated to a new facility.

State regulators said Hacienda Healthcare’s announcement that it would shut its intermediate care facility contractually requires written consent from the state Department of Economic Security.

“This was not our preference,” department spokeswoman Heidi Capriotti said. “We had hoped they were going to comply with our directive to bring a third-party manager on and have that in place.”

The letter, signed by the directors of the state’s Medicaid program and the Department of Economic Security, gave Hacienda’s board of directors until 4 p.m. Friday to answer questions about the closure decision. Capriotti said it’s not clear what the state will do if officials fail to meet the deadline.

In the meantime, the state is working on contingency plans if the closure goes through. Capriotti declined to discuss details.

The facility has been in turmoil since a 29-year-old patient gave birth on Dec. 29. Nathan Sutherland, a nurse whose DNA police said matches a sample from the baby, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he raped her.