'Powder Keg' for Hospital ; Ex-Ceo Testifies On Forgotten Patients

The Record, Bergen County, NJ › November 02, 2007

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Summary

Revelations that as many as 12 patients were committed involuntarily to a Bergen County psychiatric facility and forgotten for years were described by a county attorney as a "powder keg" on which hospital officials needed to "keep a lid," according to sworn testimony Thursday by the hospital's former chief executive.

Taking the stand in defense of a "whistle-blower" lawsuit against Bergen Regional Medical Center, Joseph Gallagher, the former president and CEO, acknowledged that Dennis Oury, an attorney for the county agency holding the hospital license, suggested in a private 2005 meeting that news about the overlooked patients would be damaging.

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Extract

'Powder Keg' for Hospital ; Ex-Ceo Testifies On Forgotten Patients

"Did he say, 'We need to keep a lid on this powder keg'?" asked Helayne Weiss, an attorney for the plaintiff.

"I believe he did say that, yes," Gallagher said.

Gallagher's test...

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