May 21, 2010

 Alameda County Medical Center in Oakland is among nine California hospitals fined by the California Department of Public Health for noncompliance with licensing requirements that caused or could likely have caused serious injury to patients or death.

Alameda’s administrative penalty is $75,000 for not implementing its policies and procedures regarding safe distribution and administration of medication. This is the hospital’s second administrative penalty.

Other hospitals penalized are Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree, Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo, Parkview Community Hospital in Riverside, Pomerado Hospital in Poway, Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla and Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside.

Legislation to increase fines for incidents in 2009 and beyond was signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and became effective Jan. 1.

Those hospitals receiving fines must create a plan of action for preventing the incidents from reoccurring and that has to be submitted to the Department of Public Health.