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CDPH Issues Penalties to 14 Hospitals 

Date: April 20, 2017
Number: NR17-037
Contact: Ali Bay or Corey Egel | 916.440.7259 

SACRAMENTO ā€“ The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued 17 penalties today to 14 California hospitals, along with fines totaling $1,135,980. The penalties are a result of CDPH investigations that found the facilities noncompliant with licensing requirements that caused, or were likely to cause, serious injury or death to patients. The following hospitals received penalties for incidents that occurred between 2012 and 2016. The links below have specific information about each incident.

1. Aurora Vista Del Mar Hospital, Ventura, Ventura County (2015)
The 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 $75,000. This is the hospitalā€™s first immediate jeopardy administrative penalty. 

2. Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, Bakersfield, Kern County (2016)
The 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 $75,000. This is the hospitalā€™s third immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

3. California Pacific Medical Center-St. Lukeā€™s Campus Hospital, San Francisco, San Francisco County (2015)
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 $47,452.50. This is the hospitalā€™s second immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

4. Community Memorial Hospital, Ventura, Ventura County (2015)
The 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 $75,000. This is the hospitalā€™s first immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

5. Desert Regional Medical Center, Palm Springs, Riverside County (2014)
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 $100,000. This is the hospitalā€™s fourth immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

6. Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center, Garden Grove, Orange County (2014)
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 hospitalā€™s fourth immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

7. Kaiser Foundation Hospital ā€“ San Francisco, San Francisco, San Francisco County (2015)
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 $47,025. This is the hospitalā€™s fourth immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

8. Kaiser Foundation Hospital ā€“ San Francisco, San Francisco, San Francisco County (2016)
The 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 $100,000. This is the hospitalā€™s fifth immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

9. LAC/Harbor UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, Los Angeles County (2015)
The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow surgical policies and procedures. The penalty is $47,025. This is the hospitalā€™s seventh immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

10. PIH Hospital - Downey, Downey, Los Angeles County (2015)
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 $47,025. This is the hospitalā€™s first immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

11. Queen of the Valley Medical Center, Napa, Napa County (2013)
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 $50,000. This is the hospitalā€™s first immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

12. Queen of the Valley Medical Center, Napa, Napa County (2013)
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 hospitalā€™s second immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

13. Queen of the Valley Medical Center, Napa, Napa County (2013)
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 $100,000. This is the hospitalā€™s third immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

14. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County (2015)
The 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 $75,000. This is the hospitalā€™s second immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

15. Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, San Mateo County (2016)
The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow surgical policies and procedures. The penalty is $47,452.50. This is the hospitalā€™s first immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

16. Sutter Davis Hospital, Davis, Yolo County (2012)
The hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow surgical policies and procedures. The penalty is $50,000. This is the hospitalā€™s second immediate jeopardy administrative penalty.

17. White Memorial Medical Center, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County (2013)
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 $50,000. This is the hospitalā€™s first Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

Administrative penalties are issued under authority granted by Health and Safety Code section 1280.1. Incidents that occurred prior to 2009 carry a fine of $25,000. On January 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. 

Regulations adopted on April 1, 2014 allow CDPH to assess administrative penalties for incidents occurring on or after that date for a deficiency constituting an immediate jeopardy violation. Up to a maximum of $75,000 is levied for the first administrative penalty, up to $100,000 for the second, and up to $125,000 for the third and every subsequent violation within three years. 

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 10 calendar days of notification. If a hearing is requested, and the penalty upheld following an appeal, the penalties must be paid.

All hospitals in California are required to be in compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations governing general acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, and special hospitals. The hospitals are required to comply with these standards to ensure quality of care.
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*Hospital Penalties by Year data is housed here.
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