Four California Hospitals Fined for Licensing Issues
The California Department of Public Health recently issued penalties to four California hospitals along with fines totaling $224,895 after investigations found the facilities' noncompliance with licensing requirements caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury or death to patients.
The California Department of Public Health recently issued penalties to four California hospitals along with fines totaling $224,895 after investigations found the facilities' noncompliance with licensing requirements caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury or death to patients, the department announced March 27.
The hospitals received penalties for incidents that occurred in 2017 and 2018:
- Adventist Health Simi Valley, Simi Valley, Ventura County (2017). This hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow established policies and procedures regarding the safety of a patient. The penalty is $45,315. This was the hospital's third Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty, according to CDPH.
- Community Memorial Hospital, Ventura, Ventura County (2017). The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow established policies and procedures regarding the treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $69,930. This is the hospital's second Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.
- Kern Medical Center, Bakersfield, Kern County (2018). This hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow established policies and procedures regarding the treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $34,650. This is the hospital's third Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.
- Sutter Delta Medical Center, Antioch, Contra Costa County (2017). The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow established policies and procedures regarding the treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $75,000. This is the hospital's second Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.
CDPH issues administrative penalties under authority granted by Health and Safety Code section 1280.1. Incidents that occurred prior to 2009 carry a fine of $25,000. On Jan. 1, 2009, the fines increased for incidents that occurred in 2009 or later. Under this provision, 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 by the licensee.