Contingency Plan for King-Harbor in the Works
Los Angeles County officials in a memo released last week provided more details of a contingency plan in case Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital fails a federal inspection next month and has to close, the Los Angeles Times reports (Ornstein, Los Angeles Times, 7/17).
The inspection by CMS regulators determines whether the hospital retains its state operating license and eligibility for federal funding.
The hospital since 2004 has failed to comply with CMS minimum patient care standards (California Healthline, 6/26).
According to the memo, officials said they have worked with 911 responders to map out new ambulance routes. Officials also have met with seven nearby private hospitals to discuss the potential impact if King-Harbor closes.
The contingency plan also calls for adding beds at public hospitals and searching for a private operator to run King-Harbor.
Bruce Chernof, county health director, on Tuesday is expected to discuss the plan at the Board of Supervisors meeting.
In related news, county prosecutors recently announced that the county police officers involved in a patient death at the facility in June will not be criminally charged.
The patient's death occurred while in their custody (Los Angeles Times, 7/17).