Calif. fines 10 hospitals, alleging safety issues
Calif. officials fine 10 hospitals they say broke health and safety rules a total of $675k
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Ten California hospitals have been fined for patient care errors that include removing the wrong kidney.
The state Department of Public Health on Thursday said it levied fines of $50,000 to $100,000 each on medical centers in Los Angeles, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay area, and in Stanislaus and San Bernardino counties.
Regulators say the errors involved safety violations that might have caused death or serious injury to patients.
In one case, St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton was fined $100,000 for removing the wrong kidney from a patient.
The hospitals can appeal the penalties.
