[kaiserthrive.org editor’s note: We’re sure the family of the baby who was killed will find great comfort in the fact that Kaiser might be fined for ending this child’s life forever, before it ever began. We’ll believe it when we see it, but any slap on the wrist the State might impose won’t even begin to make up for the devastation Kaiser has wreaked on these people’s lives. Just ask the parents and family of Lehna Jordann Brewer.]
From KGO TV:
Hospital Says It Was Human Error
By Karina Rusk
Mar. 12 – KGO – There are new developments following the death of a newborn at a South Bay Kaiser hospital. Today, we learn that the resulting investigation could jeopardize the hospital’s Medicare funding and the death could bring about the first fine ever against a hospital under a new state law.
Last year, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 1312 into law which gives the state the ability to fine acute care hospitals just like it does nursing homes. That went into effect January 1 and allows for a fine of $25,000 dollars for each violation. So far the state has not fined any hospital under this new law, but that could change with the latest medication error at Kaiser Santa Clara.The seven-week-old baby was born at Kaiser Santa Clara on January 6th. The little boy remained under hospital care because of an illness. On February 7th, there was a human error in the pharmacy that resulted in the wrong dose of a medication given to the baby. He died on February 24th.
Kaiser acknowledged on Friday the mistake was preventable.
Mary Ann Barnes, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center: “The policies were in place to cover it, but it was a rare occurrence and thus it became a human error.”
Glenn Koike is the state health investigator looking into the newborn’s death. Koike is referring all questions to Sacramento which will not comment on the case until the investigation is complete.
We do know the error surrounding the baby’s death is egregious enough to warrant federal review. Federal scrutiny could jeopardize the facility’s Medicare and Medicaid funding.
A report in 2005 by the State Health Department put Kaiser Santa Clara on similar notice.
The HMO avoided penalties by taking significant steps in November of 2005 to reduce medication errors. Those actions followed three preventable deaths in a nine-month period involving medicine — two at the Santa Clara facility and the death of 21-year-old cancer patient Chris Wibeto at Kaiser Santa Teresa.
We do know the name of the seven-week-old newborn in this case, but we’re not releasing that to protect the family’s privacy until we can talk with them.
We want to stress there is no criminal investigation into this medication error. The state and federal probe could take weeks to complete.
Previously:
Why is it OK for a hospital to make an error, in this case one that killed a child (when they are tasked with helping make the child physically safe and well-hence their non-taxable billions in revenue) and there is no debate as to whether this even warrants a fine yet if you or I were driving down the street, started sneezing and then ran over a child we would be guilty of manslaughter?
How can this be? Of course, since my daughter Lehna’s death I have gone through my own roller-coaster of emotional hell and so, too, will this child’s parents. This is just not right and it is time (and now I am finally PUBLICLY willing to be part of this) to take some action against Kaiser and their manipulations of the checks and balances that should be in place to support the rights, safety and emotional welfare of the patients who count on them.
Manipulation is a good word for what Kaiser does. They manipulate the media, regulators, employees, and patients with little regard for the truth or what is right. Kaiser believes it is above the law.
NOTE TO KAISER: You are in business to SAVE LIVES, NOT TAKE THEM AWAY. These “mistakes” are starting to appear more like homicide since Kaiser chooses to be so careless in their “caring”. This family has lost the most valuable thing a person can have, family and a happy and fulfilled future of getting to watch their child grow up into an adult. Like me and my family who experienced the horrible, neglectful loss of our beautiful Lehna Baby, this family has to live the rest of their lives being DEEPLY affected and DEEPLY wounded. The only thing deep about Kaiser is their pockets. To us and to this family, this is not about cost-cutting. It is about loss at the very deepest and most profound level. I wonder if any of these Kaiser folks ever wonder if they should even get out of bed in the morning because just being alive is too painful? If the mistake with this child hadn’t been so obvious, my guess is that Kaiser would be doing their best by now to cover it up. It’s only when they are blatantly caught with blood on their hands that they fess up. The public needs to demand an admission of constant wrongdoing and blatant disregard for the patients welfare by Kaiser and demand CHANGE NOW.
and aren’t people who believe that they are above the law considered sociopaths?
It is my honest opinion that it takes a certain type of sociopath to succeed at Kaiser, which may be why they have such a difficult time holding onto doctors.
From San Francisco Business Times yesterday:
What’s left? Well, the scum rises to the top, so to speak.
Gee, I wonder if it has anything to do with the code of ethics (or lack of) that Kaiser likes to get their Dr.s to adapt to. It truly does take a certain kind to work at Kaiser. Someone with no conscience whatsoever would quickly rise to the top since they would be a perfect fit. As you stated, the scum rises to the top.
Forget suing for monies, lets see some of those responsible either through incompentcy or laziness do some hard time in jail. Although some of it may trickle down to the phone answerer (is that a word?) Of course there are the universal excuses (they didn’t train me? No one told me?. I was overworked. etc. etc. Some may well be true)Some of the administrators will get held accountable. A few days, months or years should make an impression with the medical community. Btw it not only kaiser it just so happens that they have deep pockets for those in the legal community. This isn’t my first rodeo.
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They killed two people I knew due to lack of diagnosis of pancrititis. One of them was my significant other Michael.
A friend of mine is now near death due to a stroke caused by Kaiser reducing her blood thinner in error. If there is a common error to be made, they’ll make it!!!