CDPH Issues Administrative Penalties to 12 Hospitals
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced today that 12 California hospitals have been assessed 14 administrative penalties after a determination that the facilities’ noncompliance with licensing requirements has caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury or death to patients.
The following hospitals received penalties:
1. California Pacific Medical Center – Pacific Campus Hospital, San Francisco, San Francisco County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when the hospital did not follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the second administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $50,000.
2. California Pacific Medical Center – Pacific Campus Hospital, San Francisco, San Francisco County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when the hospital did not follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the third administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $75,000.
3. Citrus Valley Medical Center – IC Campus, Covina, Los Angeles County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of its patients when it did not follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the first administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $25,000.
4. Hanford Community Medical Center, Hanford, Kings County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of its patients when it did not follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the second administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $25,000.
5. Kindred Hospital Westminster, Westminster, Orange County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of its patients when it did not follow its patient care policies and procedures. This is the first administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $25,000.
6. Palomar Medical Center, Escondido, San Diego County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its patient care policies and procedures. This is the first administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $50,000.
7. Petaluma Valley Hospital, Petaluma, Sonoma 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 this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $50,000.
8. Placentia Linda Hospital, Placentia, Orange County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of its patients when it did not follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the first administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $50,000.
9. Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, La Jolla, San Diego County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of its patients when it failed to follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the fourth administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $50,000.
10. Southwest Healthcare System, Murrieta, Riverside County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of its patients when it did not follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the seventh administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $25,000.
11. UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, San Francisco County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of its patients when it did not follow its surgical policies and procedures. This is the third administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $25,000.
12. UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, San Francisco County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of its patients when it did not follow its policies and procedures for the safe distribution and administration of medication. This is the fourth administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $25,000.
13. USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of its 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 this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $50,000.
14. Western Medical Center Santa Ana, Santa Ana, Orange County. The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of its patients when it did not follow its policies and procedures for the maintenance of its medication storage refrigeration equipment. This is the third administrative penalty issued to this hospital. The penalty is assessed at $75,000.
Administrative penalties are issued under authority granted by Health and Safety Code section 1280.1. Incidents that occurred in 2008 carry a fine of $25,000. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation that took effect January 1, 2009 that increased fines for incidents that occurred in 2009 or later as follows: $50,000 for the first violation,
$75,000 for the second, and $100,000 for the third or subsequent violation at the same hospital.
When hospitals receive their survey findings, they are required to submit to the department a plan of correction to prevent future incidents. Hospitals can appeal an administrative penalty by requesting a hearing within 10 calendar days of notification. If a hearing is requested, the penalties are to be paid if upheld following appeal.
All hospitals in California are required to be in compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations governing general acute care hospitals. The hospitals are required to comply with these standards to ensure quality of care.
