JCAHO Issues Preliminary Denial of Accreditation to Alta Bates Summit Medical Center

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations on Feb. 9 issued a preliminary denial of accreditation for Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, according to recently released documents, the Oakland Tribune reports (Vesely, Oakland Tribune, 3/10).

In November 2004, JCAHO issued a preliminary denial of accreditation for deficiencies in hospital operations to Alta Bates, which has campuses in Berkeley and Oakland(California Healthline, 11/15/04). The JCAHO survey, which has since been released to the public, found the hospital failed to:

• Gain informed consent from patients;
  
  
• Respond effectively to actual or potential adverse reactions and medication errors;
  
  
• Provide sufficient individual patient treatment;
  
  
• Provide equal care and treatment to patients;
  
  
• Assess patients' pain appropriately;
  
  
• Follow approved policies on the use of restraints;
  
  
• Obtain complete and accurate medical records;
  
  
• Regulate actions to prevent or reduce the risk of infections contracted during hospital stays; and
  
  
• Properly store, review and manage prescription medications.

The hospital currently is taking measures to improve operations, such as standardizing documentation; implementing a comprehensive review and monitoring process; and increasing staff training, Alta Bates CEO Warren Kirk wrote in a letter to JCAHO on Feb. 18.

Hospital officials will appeal for accreditation again in May to JCAHO's Review Hearing Panel. The findings of the hearing then will be passed to JCAHO's Accreditation Committee for a second review of the decision.

Hospital spokesperson Carolyn Kemp said, "We remain confident we will remain accredited" (Oakland Tribune, 3/10).