The California Department of Public Health fined Community Hospital of San Bernardino (Calif.) $80,000 after an investigation revealed the hospital's substandard care was the cause for a patient's death in 2008, according to an LA Times news report.
A patient with emphysema, who was staying at the hospital, relied on a ventilator to breathe. State investigators found nurses were not alerted that tubing on the ventilator had become disconnected because the alert system for such mishaps was not activated, which was a direct violation of hospital policy, according to the news report.
Citing patient privacy laws, hospital interim President Diane Nitta declined to comment on the individual patient's care but said the hospital is working closely with the California Department of Public Health and hospital staff "to ensure that an incident like this never happens again."
Read the news report about Community Hospital of San Bernardino's fine.
Related Articles on Hospital Patient Safety:
California Department of Health Fines 12 Hospitals for Patient Safety Violations
Temple University Health System Agrees to Pay $130K for Drug-Tracking Violations
Maryland Hospitals Reported Significantly More Medical Errors, Health Officials Say
A patient with emphysema, who was staying at the hospital, relied on a ventilator to breathe. State investigators found nurses were not alerted that tubing on the ventilator had become disconnected because the alert system for such mishaps was not activated, which was a direct violation of hospital policy, according to the news report.
Sign up for our FREE E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox!
Citing patient privacy laws, hospital interim President Diane Nitta declined to comment on the individual patient's care but said the hospital is working closely with the California Department of Public Health and hospital staff "to ensure that an incident like this never happens again."
Read the news report about Community Hospital of San Bernardino's fine.
Related Articles on Hospital Patient Safety:
California Department of Health Fines 12 Hospitals for Patient Safety Violations
Temple University Health System Agrees to Pay $130K for Drug-Tracking Violations
Maryland Hospitals Reported Significantly More Medical Errors, Health Officials Say