California Department of Public Health officials fined nine California hospitals

California Department of Public Health officials fined nine California hospitals for medical errors last year that in some cases killed or seriously injured patients and required the hospitals to submit plans to correct the problems. Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo was fined $50,000 in connection with a nurse mistakenly giving morphine intended for a newborn's mother to the baby in April 2009. In San Bernardino County, Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree was fined after a 4-year-old girl was burned on her back by cauterizing equipment during a tonsillectomy last May. In Riverside, Parkview Community Hospital was fined after a surgeon with hospital privileges last July removed the wrong kidney from a Spanish-speaking patient with a kidney tumor who investigators found was not provided an interpreter before he consented to the surgery. In San Diego County, Pomerado Hospital in Poway, Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, and Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside were among those fined. Alameda County Medical Center and Marin General Hospital also face fines. The state has issued 156 fines since they were first required by law in January 2007. In all, 108 hospitals have been fined $4.8 million, the state has collected nearly $3 million, and 41 of the fines have been appealed.
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