CDPH Issues Penalties to 13 Hospitals ​

Date: August 23, 2018
Number: 18-042
Contact: Corey Egel | 916.440.7259 | cdphpress@cdph.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued 16 penalties to 13 California hospitals along with fines totaling $1,052,505 after investigations found the facilities' noncompliance with licensing requirements caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury or death to patients.

The following hospitals received penalties for incidents that occurred between 2012 and 2017. Please click on the link below for specific incident information:

1. Antelope Valley Hospital, Lancaster, Los Angeles County (2012)

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 hospital's second Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

2. Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, Martinez, 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 $33,000. This is the hospital's second Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

3. Corona Regional Medical Center - Magnolia, Corona, Riverside 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 $44,887.50. This is the hospital's first Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

4. Corona Regional Medical Center - Magnolia, Corona, Riverside 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $49,500. This is the hospital's second Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

5. Fremont Hospital, Fremont, Alameda 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $75,000. This is the hospital's first Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

6. Hemet Valley Medical Center, Hemet, Riverside 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $49,500. This is the hospital's first Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

7. John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Indio, Riverside 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 seventh Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

8. Kindred Hospital Riverside, Perris, Riverside 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $75,000. This is the hospital's first Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

9. Madera Community Hospital, Madera, Madera 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $47,025. This is the hospital's second Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

10. Mercy General Hospital, Sacramento, Sacramento 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $75,000. This is the hospital's first Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

11. Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center, Riverside, Riverside 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $75,000. This is the hospital's third Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

12. Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center, Riverside, Riverside 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $75,000. This is the hospital's fourth Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

13. Saint Vincent Medical Center, Los Angeles, Los Angeles 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $71,250. This is the hospital's first Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

14. St. Johns Regional Medical Center, 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $75,000. This is the hospital's first Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

15. Ventura County Medical Center, 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $69,930. This is the hospital's second Immediate Jeopardy administrative penalty.

16. Ventura County Medical Center, Ventura, Ventura 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 treatment and care of a patient. The penalty is $87,412.50. This is the hospital's third 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 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.

As of April 1, 2014, newly adopted regulations allow CDPH to assess an administrative penalty for incidents occurring on or after said date, against a specified licensee for a deficiency constituting an immediate jeopardy violation up to a maximum of $75,000 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 ten 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.