Two experts in preparing hospitals for inspections are working at the state mental hospital in Goldsboro to help remedy problems exposed when one of its doctors hit a teenage patient and a man died after sitting in a chair for more than 22 hours without food.

Cherry Hospital has about two weeks to show how it will correct problems to avoid federal sanctions.

The federal government told the hospital its federal funding is in jeopardy after a doctor struck a teenager April 28 in a tussle over a T-shirt. Investigators said staff did not use proper techniques to prevent an escalation of the teenager's behavior, did not tell his mother about an investigation into an allegation of staff abuse, and did not tell the N.C. Medical Board that the doctor's privileges had been suspended. The doctor, Ralph Berg, returned to work.

In a separate incident, investigators found that Cherry staff members neglected Steven Sabock, 50, who died of a heart condition April 29 after a day without food. Sabock sat in a heavily used room in the hospital where staff watched television and played cards but failed to take his vital signs and give him fluids as a doctor ordered.

"It is a serious event, and we're taking it seriously," said Jim Osberg, head of the state Department of Health and Human Services team that oversees state institutions. "We are very concerned that an incident like this would have occurred. Our deepest concern is about patient care."

In a statement, DHHS secretary Dempsey Benton said, "Disciplinary actions have been taken to emphasize that attentive, quality patient care is the essential responsibility for every employee."

Vicki Smith, executive director of the advocacy group Disability Rights North Carolina, said the incidents highlight the state's hesitation to fire people when appropriate because it is afraid of losing employees who hold hard-to-fill jobs.

Osberg said losing employees should not get in the way of discipline. "We have to take appropriate action at all points," he said.

Cherry will be looking to see whether registered nurses are distributed to optimize supervision of nursing staff, Osberg said.

The hospital hopes to fill 23 new medical jobs.

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