ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has opened an investigation into Mission Hospital’s emergency department.

News 13 has confirmed DHHS brought in nurse investigators to take a close look at the operations inside the emergency department. A nurse who works there said investigators actually started on-site last week.

“Investigators came into town and our union, National Nurses United, actually started making complaints and tracking issues over about the last two years,” Mission ER nurse Hannah Drummond said Friday, Nov. 17. “We have tracked specific incidences with specific patients that we’ve given them information for them to follow up. They’re investigating a little over 40 cases.”

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A DHHS spokeswoman confirmed in a statement, “DHHS staff have been on-site this week at Mission Hospital.” But she said, “Complaints are confidential, and we can’t comment on complaints.”

Mission is also the focus of Attorney General Josh Stein, who is looking into quality of care issues and alleges a contract breach with the departure of Mission’s oncology offerings in many areas.

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Mission sent a statement saying, “Surveys from agencies that govern hospital quality and safety occur regularly and are welcome at Mission Hospital.”