Lawsuits Filed Against Sacramento-Area Hospitals Allege Inadequate Infection Control
More than two dozen lawsuits have been filed against hospitals in the Sacramento area in the last six months alleging that the facilities were negligent in their infection control procedures, leading to increased hospital stays, worsened health and higher hospital bills, the Sacramento Business Journal reports. Three lawsuits have been filed against Sutter Roseville Medical Center, and lawsuits also are pending against Mercy San Juan Medical Center, Mercy General Hospital and Kaiser Medical Center. The lawsuits allege the hospitals did not adequately sterilize equipment and operating rooms, maintain adequate staffing levels, test for infection or warn patients about the risk of infection. The suits seek special and compensatory damages, as well as reimbursement of medical expenses and attorneys' fees. Abraham Goldman, a Sacramento attorney who has filed most of the suits on behalf of patients, charged that hospitals make "huge profits" when people become infected, the Business Journal reports. But Robert David, regional vice president of the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, said, "Infection control is a key component of hospital accreditation and licensing, so hospitals have every incentive to maximize infection control." He added that most hospitals have committees that review cases and watch for trends to prevent outbreaks (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 1/3).
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