Workers claim roach and mice infestation at MidHudson Regional Hospital
Some of the employees, who agreed to speak to News 12 anonymously, say they’ve witnessed pests throughout the hospital.
Workers at MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie claim the facility is dealing with a serious pest problem involving cockroaches, mice, and other insects.
Some of the employees, who agreed to speak to News 12 anonymously — one by Zoom with her face blurred and voice distorted — say they’ve witnessed pests throughout the hospital, including the psychiatric units, the emergency room, common hallways, and even the cafeteria.
The workers, along with others, provided News 12 with photos and videos they say show pests inside the facility. They also claim staffing shortages in housekeeping and maintenance have left trash sitting for more than 24 hours at a time, making the problem worse.
“It’s disgusting for both staff and patients to see roaches and mice in a hospital,” one employee said. “It’s disheartening that patients have to deal with seeing roaches, water bugs, mice. I heard there was even a bat on the fourth floor.”
Another worker said pest problems were common and persistent.
“Mice in patient rooms are a common occurrence,” the employee said. “Bugs — commonly known as ‘sewer bugs’ or ‘sewer flies’ that live in drains and feed off of skin and other detritus — are frequently seen in patient rooms and staff areas with sinks. We also see large roaches, or waterbugs, in rooms and hallways.”
That worker says they complained to management at the hospital but claims the pest control measures in place were largely ineffective. They also requested anonymity, citing fear of reprisal from the hospital network.
In a statement, WMCHealth, which operates MidHudson Regional Hospital, told News 12:
“The health and comfort of our patients and staff is our top priority. We work closely with licensed environmental and facilities experts to uphold strict standards of cleanliness and safety across all our campuses and take any reports of concern seriously.”
The New York State Department of Health declined to comment on whether the facility is under investigation. However, the agency says New Yorkers with complaints can contact the department by phone at 1-800-804-5447, by mail, or by submitting an online complaint form. Complaints about hospitals and diagnostic and treatment centers can be filed here: https://apps.health.ny.gov/surveyd8/facility-complaint-form.
