MACHIAS (AP) – Officials have completed an investigation into the death of a patient who walked out into a snowstorm early this month after being discharged at his own request from a Machias hospital.

The body of Reid Emery, 61, of Eastport was found Jan. 2 less than 200 yards from Downeast Community Hospital, buried beneath a pile of snow.

Emery’s family has declined comment, but the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services authorized the state to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.

“The state went in during the first week of January to do what we call a survey,” said Rosanne Pawelec, a spokeswoman for the CMS regional office in Boston.

“That investigation is complete, and were in the process of putting together a very detailed and very complex report that will include what we call a statement of deficiencies.”

Once the report is complete and a copy is sent to the hospital, it will have 10 days to submit a plan to address deficiencies.

Down East Community Hospital has been conducting its own internal investigation into Emerys death.

Spokeswoman Robin Popp said she could not comment while the investigation continues.

According to police reports, Emery had been treated at the hospital for an unknown illness before he voluntarily signed himself out at about 8 p.m. on Jan. 1.

His body was found the next day less than 200 yards from the hospital.

While it appears likely that Emery froze to death, the results of an autopsy are still pending.

John Martins, spokesman for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, said CMS usually gets involved in investigations under two conditions: If a hospitals protocols or procedures pose an immediate jeopardy to patients and if there is a possible failure to comply with standards that guide the hospital.

Down East Community Hospital has been a target of complaints in recent decades, CEO Wayne Dodwell told the Bangor Daily News in 2006. The hospital failed a quality review by the Joint Commissions on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

It also failed a Medicare survey conducted by the state DHHS, which resulted in the closure of operating rooms.

The Maine Health Management Coalition, a state watchdog group, ranks the hopstial at the same level as many other Maine hospitals in terms of safety and clinical quality of care.

For medication safety administration, however, it performed well below average.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com

AP-ES-01-19-08 1424EST