State health officials declared Hazel Hawkins Hospital’s nursing
facilities in full compliance with the law Thursday, rescinding a
recommendation to disallow the admittance of some new patients due
to several documented health code violations.
Hollister – State health officials declared Hazel Hawkins Hospital’s nursing facilities in full compliance with the law Thursday, rescinding a recommendation to disallow the admittance of some new patients due to several documented health code violations.
An inspector with the California Department of Health and Human Services conducted a follow-up check on Thursday and confirmed the Mabie Northside Skilled Nursing Facility had corrected several documented deficiencies.
The state rescinded a recommendation to the federal government that the facility not be allowed to admit any new patients, according to Albert Quintero, licensing and certification manager for the department’s San Jose district office.
The nursing facility was in jeopardy of not being allowed to admit any new patients with Medical and Medicaid insurance after the state documented three separate incidences of faulty patient care, Quintero said.
If a state inspector hadn’t approved the corrected deficiencies by Thursday, the facility would not have been able to admit new patients with Medicaid and Medical insurance and continue to receive compensation from the state.
Hazel Hawkins Chief Executive Officer Ken Underwood did not return phone calls Friday concerning the lifted recommendation. He stated in a previous interview that the facility had already corrected the problems and has been in full compliance with the law.
Quintero said Monday he was unsure whether a state inspector would be able to investigate the complaints by Thursday’s deadline, but promised someone would be there as soon as possible.
And there was.
Three incidences caused the state to recommend that the federal government rescind the facility’s ability to admit new patients with Medical or Medicaid and levy a $3,000 fine on the institution.
The first, which garnered the facility a level “G” complaint rating – which means the violation caused harm to a patient – stemmed from a sexual assault complaint in June. It involved a male patient who allegedly sexually assaulted a female patient “four or five” times while nursing home staff failed to take sufficient action to correct it, according to a state report.
The state rates facilities from A to L, Quintero said. If a facility receives an “L” rating, it is immediately closed, he said.
Facility staff reported the alleged sexual assault to the state and to the Hollister Police Department, and later took corrective actions to remedy the situation, Quintero said.
However, the state received another complaint in July, again a level “G,” stating that the facility’s staff failed to adequately treat a patient with pressure ulcers, according to the state’s report. Again, the facility took steps to rectify the problem, according to the state.
But a third “G” rating was then leveled against the facility last month regarding a medication error, which prompted the state to recommend that the federal government levy a fine against the hospital and rescind its ability to admit new patients until the third “G” deficiency was rectified – which Quintero said has been done.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
