Date: 6/2/2011
Number: 11-025
Contact: Al Lundeen (916) 440-7259
SACRAMENTO
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced today twelve California hospitals have been assessed administrative penalties after it was determined the facilities' noncompliance with licensing requirements caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury or death to patients.
1. AHMC Anaheim Regional Medical Center, Anaheim, Orange County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its patient care and surgical policies and procedures. This is the first administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $50,000.
2. Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, Martinez, Contra Costa County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its policies and procedures for the safe distribution and administration of medication. This is the first administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $50,000.
3. Dominican Hospital, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its patient care policies and procedures for on-going patient monitoring and assessment of patient care. This is the second administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $50,000.
4. Emanuel Medical Center, Turlock, Stanislaus County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its policies and procedures for the safe distribution and administration of medication. This is the first administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $50,000.
5. Kaiser Foundation Hospital, San Francisco, San Francisco County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the first administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $50,000.
6. Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, Burlingame, San Mateo County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the first administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $50,000.
7. Palomar Medical Center, Escondido, San Diego County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not implement its established policies and procedures for the safe distribution and administration of medication. This is the second administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $75,000.
8. Pomerado Hospital, Poway, San Diego County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its policies and procedures for fall prevention. This is the third administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $75,000.
9. Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not implement its policies and procedures for the administration of medications. This is the first administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $50,000.
10. Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas, Encinitas, San Diego County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the first administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $50,000.
11. Scripps Memorial Hospital - La Jolla, La Jolla, San Diego County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its patient care and surgical policies and procedures. This is the second administrative penalty issued to the hospital. The penalty is $75,000.
12. Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego, San Diego County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not implement its established policies and procedures for the safe distribution and administration of medication. The penalty is $25,000.
Administrative penalties are issued under authority granted by Health and Safety Code section 1280.1. New legislation took effect January 1, 2009 that increased fines for incidents that occurred in 2009 or later. Under the new provisions, an administrative penalty carries a fine of $50,000 for the first violation, $75,000 for the second, and $100,000 for the third or subsequent violation at the same hospital. Incidents that occurred prior to 2009 carry a fine of $25,000 and are not counted in this total.
When hospitals receive their survey findings, they are required to provide CDPH with a plan of correction to prevent future incidents. Hospitals can appeal an administrative penalty by requesting a hearing within ten (10) calendar days of notification. If a hearing is requested, the penalties must be paid if upheld following an appeal.
All hospitals in California are required to comply with applicable state and federal laws and regulations governing general acute care hospitals which ensure quality of care.