Alta Bates Summit Medical Center fined $71000 for violating safety procedure

OAKLAND, California – Alta Bates Summit Medical Center whose investigations of having violated safety procedure has been found to be positive and has sincebeen ordered to pay $71,000. And what was defined as violation of safety procedure?

It was alleged that the hospital did not place 23 suspected tuberculosis patients in working isolated treatment rooms an incident that was said to expose other Alta Bates patients, staff, and visitors to the risk of potential infection.

It is also alleged that the hospital did not provide an adequate number of Powered Air Purifying Respirators which was a violation of the new regulations that were adopted in November in an effort to take care of patients suspected to have Ebola.

The violation which was discovered way back in 2012 came into the limelight as state officials investigated another violation that had taken place in 2009 which was said to be a major one. The 2009 violation had incapacitated an Oakland Police Officer and a respiratory technician from what was referred to as consequent exposure to meningococcal disease.

“It is important that all hospitals take up full responsibility of equipping themselves with functional isolation rooms so as to protect the public from epidemics that are easily spread.” This was said by CNA co-president Zenei Cortez while stressing that there had been an Ebola crisis in the recent months which is increasing by day.

However, Sutter Health has come out clearly to fight back the California Nurses Association accounts of accusations. According to Carolyn Kemp, Sutter Health spokeswoman, “the review data of the hospital indicates that no patients or staff were put at risk.”

As it is now, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center will not only pay the fine but will also be expected to input its efforts in ensuring that precautions are taken and changes to correct the violations are put in place. This includes doing a revision of its disease exposure control plan, obtaining enough respirators and having an airborne infection isolation ward.