From San Francisco Business Times: Kaiser Permanente appointed a new administrative director Thursday to head its troubled Northern California kidney transplant unit. The San Francisco-based unit, in the process of being closed after intense pressure from state and federal regulators, had been headed by Dr. Sharon Inokuchi. Kaiser officials said June 15 that Linda Mann,… Read More »
Coverage at S.F. center is at risk unless compliance with federal rules is proved. By Dorsey Griffith — Sacramento Bee Medical Writer The Medicare program has threatened to halt coverage for all end-stage kidney care at Kaiser Permanente’s San Francisco transplant center unless the health plan can convince regulators it has complied with federal regulations.… Read More »
From the L.A. Times: Two Kaiser Permanente patients filed suit Monday against the giant HMO following the suspension of its Northern California kidney transplant program. The suit was filed by Irvine lawyer Lawrence Eisenberg on behalf of patients Lurena Fiore and Debra Adams, but it is seeking class-action status. It claims negligence, fraud and misrepresentation,… Read More »
From the L.A. Times: By Charles Ornstein, Times Staff Writer June 3, 2006 A Los Angeles County jury found Friday that Kaiser Permanente retaliated against one of its emergency room physicians after he raised concerns about the quality of care at Kaiser’s Bellflower Medical Center. Kaiser’s affiliated medical group placed Dr. Mark L. Woods on… Read More »
From San Francisco Business Times: Communication and administrative errors that doomed Kaiser Permanente’s San Francisco kidney-transplant unit have raised fears among health-care observers about broader management problems at the health-care giant and questions about the role its affiliated medical group played in the fiasco. Kaiser said May 12 that it would shutter the program in… Read More »
[This story was originally published by www.10news.com San Diego and is no longer available] When a San Diego man died from an ear infection, his family took a closer look at the professionals in white coats who cared for him. What they found could be a lifesaver for others. A grieving widow gave a deposition.… Read More »
From the L.A. Times: Some seeking answers on the transition to UC transplant programs express frustration over the poor quality of data. By Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber, Times Staff Writers May 18, 2006 State regulators Wednesday ordered Kaiser Permanente to fix communication foul-ups stemming from the abrupt suspension of its Northern California kidney transplant… Read More »
Anna Werner Reporting (CBS 5) SAN FRANCISCO — The California Department of Managed Care on Wednesday ordered Kaiser Permanente to improve its’ patient hotline established in the wake of troubles with the HMO’s kidney transplant program in San Francisco, which were first uncovered by CBS 5 Investigates. Following complaints from patients who complained they were… Read More »
The HMO abruptly announces that it will transfer about 2,000 transplant patients back to UC hospitals. The details are unresolved. By Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein, Times Staff Writers May 13, 2006 Kaiser Permanente announced Friday that it was indefinitely suspending its kidney transplant program in Northern California after revelations that it had endangered hundreds… Read More »
(CBS 5 / AP) OAKLAND Kaiser Permanente announced Friday afternoon that it is voluntarily suspending its troubled kidney transplant program. The move follows a series of reports from CBS 5 Investigates, which first uncovered the problems. Word of the suspension came one day after Kaiser was sued for allegedly bungling cases that led some patients… Read More »