California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of January 22, 2010
Kaweah Delta Health Care District
Kaweah Delta Health Care District has joined the Health Care Interpreter Network, thus enabling patients in the district with quick access to interpreters via telephone or videoconferencing devices, the Visalia Times-Delta reports.
As part of the system, health care professionals can automatically find an interpreter in the language needed. Interpreters are available in at least 13 different languages and American Sign Language (Ortiz-Briones, Visalia Times-Delta, 1/16).
Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, Salinas
The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer has accredited Salinas Valley Memorial's Comprehensive Cancer Center at the highest recognized level for another three years, the Salinas Californian reports (Zentz, Salinas Californian, 1/18).
Southwest Healthcare System, Riverside County
A recent report found serious fire hazards at two hospitals operated by Southwest Healthcare Systems in Riverside County, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports.
The eight-page report by the California Department of Public Health is the latest in a series of critical inspections that have found Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta and Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar in violation of health and safety guidelines.
Federal officials gave the facilities until this month to fix problems found in earlier inspections or lose their eligibility to participate in Medicare and Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program (Horseman, Riverside Press-Enterprise, 1/14).
In related news, on Jan. 19, Southwest Healthcare System officials announced that a planned $53 million expansion at Rancho Springs Medical Center could open in seven to 10 days, depending on the outcome of a DPH inspection, according to Murrieta Fire Chief Paul Christman, the Press-Enterprise reports.
The expansion would add emergency department beds, labor and delivery rooms and a neonatal intensive care unit (Hill, Riverside Press-Enterprise, 1/19). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.