CA hospitals lack of incident reports cause concern
Patient Safety Monitor Alert
December 1, 2010
According to records of the California Department of Health, 87 hospitals have gone more than three years without making any significant mistakes in care, causing some officials to wonder if the hospitals are failing to report.
A 2007 state law outlines 28 medical errors that hospitals must report, according to the Los Angeles Times. After reporting, the state has the authority to fine the hospitals: $50,000 for the first incident, $75,000 for the second, and $100,000 for the third. The state is supposed to be notified of an error within five days of an incident, and fines for being tardy can also be handed out.
Hospitals that reported no errors vary in size and location, and make up about 20% of the state's hospitals.
