Indio Hospital Among 13 Facing Fines For Endangering Patients

INDIO – John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio is one of 13 in the state facing fines of $25,000 or more for code violations that endangered patient safety.

The California Department of Public Health announced the penalties Wednesday, which were each $25,000 or more. The hospitals can appeal within 10 days, or submit plans outlining how they will avoid errors in the future.

The fined hospitals are in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, Alameda, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties.

In Indio, John F. Kennedy Memorial was cited for failing to closely monitor patients and keep track of their medications, failing to make sure their nurses were adequately trained.

In one case in the investigation, a patient was given medicine intravenously instead of under the skin, causing complications, which led to a stay in intensive care.

Kennedy received four penalties, each carrying a $25,000 fine.

“Ensuring quality patient care is vital to protecting and promoting the health of all Californians,” said Dr. Mark Horton, director of the Department of Public Health. “We will continue to work with California hospitals to attain our shared goal of excellence in patient care.”

JFK issued a statement late in the day Wednesday:

“The incidents involved occurred back in August 2008. Our hospital submitted a Plan of Correction to the CDPH to address the identified opportunities for improvement to eliminate future occurrences. The Plan of Correction was accepted by CDPH. JFK has been compliant and has had no further violations,” stated Dan Bowers, Chief Executive Officer of JFK Memorial Hospital. “We take the delivery of patient care very seriously and are committed to serving the residents of our community with the highest quality patient care possible.”