California fines 18 hospitals for violating healthcare regulations
Including the latest citations, the California Department of Public Health has issued 61 such penalties since last year.
Eighteen California hospitals have been fined by the state for violating laws regarding quality care for patients, the state public health department announced today.
Most of the 18 hospitals are in Southern California, said Ken August, a spokesman for the California Department of Public Health. All hospitals in California are required to comply with state and federal laws to remain accredited.
Today marks the fourth time the department has disciplined hospitals since a state law went into effect last year authorizing the agency to fine them for placing patients in serious jeopardy.
Hospitals are fined $25,000 for each incident that "has caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury or death to patients," August said. The agency has issued 61 such penalties to 42 hospitals since the state law was enacted last year, including those announced today.
The hospitals and their violations are:
Anaheim General Hospital for failing to ensure that medical devices were electrically safe and functioning within manufacturer's guidelines; for not preventing access to dangerous items; for failing to protect patients from extreme environmental temperatures; and for failing to maintain the pharmacy's refrigerated temperatures where medications are kept.
Coastal Communities Hospital in Santa Ana for administering an excessive dose of medication that resulted in a patient's death.
Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs for failing to investigate a sexual abuse allegation.
Doctors Medical Center in San Pablo for failing to follow policies and procedures for a patient with critically low laboratory test results, resulting in the patient's death; for failing to ensure that licensed staff were competent and trained to insert intravenous catheters, causing a patient to die
Fountain Valley Regional Hospital for failing to remove a surgical sponge in a patient after surgery, requiring the patient to undergo a second surgery to remove it.
Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa for failing to activate a stationary ventilator during a transfer of the patient from a transport ventilator, resulting in the patient's death.
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach for leaving a surgical instrument in a patient after surgery, requiring the patient to undergo a second surgery to remove it.
