Officials: By Not Reporting Deadly Outbreak From Dirty Scopes, Hospital Broke The Law
State law requires hospitals, within 24 hours, to report an “occurrence of any unusual disease” or “any outbreaks of disease” to local health officials. Sixteen patients were sickened at the facility.
Los Angeles Times:
Pasadena Hospital Broke The Law By Not Reporting Outbreak, Health Officials Say
Pasadena’s Huntington Hospital broke state law by not quickly reporting a suspected deadly outbreak last year, according to a letter by city officials. The hospital released the letter this week, as well as the results of the city’s investigation into the outbreak caused by dirty scopes, which sickened 16 patients, including 11 who died. City health officials did not investigate the cause of the patients’ deaths, many of whom were seriously ill. The officials noted in the report that only one patient’s death certificate listed as a cause the dangerous drug-resistant bacteria that contaminated the scopes and sickened the patients. (Petersen, 6/2)
In other hospital news —
The Desert Sun:
Health District Board OKs Six-Month Severance For Greco
Kathy Greco will be paid her full salary through the end of 2016 — eight months beyond her departure — under a severance package the district's board approved in a split vote Thursday. Greco, the public agency's former CEO, will remain on paid administrative leave through the end of July and then receive an additional six months salary, or $88,200, according to the district. (Newkirk, 6/2).