Feds investigating NW Georgia Regional Hospital

From the Rome News Tribune

Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital is under investigation by the Department of Justice, officials at the facility have confirmed.

Superintendent of the state run mental health hospital Karl Schwartzkoph confirmed Thursday morning that the federal investigators were at the facility.

Schwartzkoph said the investigation was a result of recent statewide news reports.

Recent reports have focused on alleged deficiencies in Georgia’s mental health treatment centers.

Also, in October a psychiatrist employed at the facility —Dr. Mohammad Uzair Qureshi, 45 — was arrested on charges of sexual battery and sexual assault by a practitioner of psychotherapy against a patient. Around a dozen patients have claimed Qureshi fondled them during sessions.

“They are there to look at the hospital system to determine if any areas need to be improved,” said Department of Human Resources Spokeswoman Kenya Bello. “They feel like there are areas to look into at this point, they haven’t decided if there are any problems.”

Bello said these investigations are not unique to the Rome facility