San Diego Hospitals Receive Fines for Medical Errors

The California Department of Public Health fined three San Diego area hospitals for making mistakes that could cause “death or serious injury.” The implicated hospitals are Grossmont Hospital, Sharp Memorial Hospital, and UCSD Medical Center.

According to the Union Tribune, Grossmont hospital received a $50,000 fine for marking the wrong side of the head of a 93 year old, who was undergoing brain surgery. Before the mistake was realized, part of the man’s skull had been removed and the brain exposed. The mistake was corrected during surgery, and the surgery completed without further incident.

Sharp Memorial Hospital was also fined $50,000 for failing to follow surgical protocols. There, a sponge was left inside the body of a 69-year-old woman who underwent heart surgery. UCSD Medical Center was also fined for failing to follow surgical procedures, resulting in a second surgery on the patient to remove a foreign object. The UCSD surgery was performed by a first-year intern.

The DPH issued a statement: “Ensuring quality patient care is vital to protecting and promoting the health of all Californians. We will continue to work with California hospitals to attain our shared goal of excellence in patient care.” Source: San Diego Union Tribune

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