State Hits S.F. Hospital With Maximum Fine Over Patient Safety Violations
An investigation revealed that a hospital employee failed to lock both wheels of a patient’s wheelchair, causing him to fall onto the road. He died two weeks after the incident.
San Francisco Chronicle:
SF’s Laguna Honda Hospital Fined $100,000 Over Patient’s Death
San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital has been fined $100,000 for safety violations that led to the death of a patient, the California Public Health Department said Thursday. The fine is the most severe penalty regulators can level under state law. The incident occurred in November 2014, when the patient, unnamed in the state report, fell out of his wheelchair while on an outing to a movie theater. (Allday, 1/19)
In other news from across the state —
Orange County Register:
Costco To Pay $11.75 Million To Settle Pharmacy Control Allegations
Costco Wholesale will pay $11.75 million to settle Department of Justice allegations that the chain’s pharmacies improperly filled prescriptions. Investigations were conducted by federal authorities in Washington, Michigan and California. Costco was accused of filling prescriptions that were incomplete, lacked valid DEA numbers and were for substances beyond doctor’s scope of practice. (Madans, 1/19)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
County Reports Six More Flu-Related Deaths
County health officials on Thursday reported that six more people have died of influenza-related causes, bringing the death toll this flu season to 14, compared with three this time last year. A previously healthy 45-year-old woman was among the most recent flu-related deaths, officials said. The other recent fatalities involved older people who had underlying medical conditions, according to the county Health and Human Services Agency. (1/19)