State health officials cite Fountain Valley Regional Hospital for failure of “systemic” COVID-19

State health officials have determined that Fountain Valley Regional Hospital will endanger caregivers and patients by distributing COVID-19 patients throughout the facility and assigning staff to treat infected and uninfected patients. We examined employee concerns that arose when the pandemic began.

California Public Health Service officers 33-page report “Systemic” infection control violations observed by investigators during multiple site visits in July. Visit July 1st complaint Submitted by the National Federation of Healthcare Professionals on behalf of more than 700 employees at the facility, managers claimed they were not doing enough to protect patients and staff.

This report, submitted to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Medicare and Medicaid Service Centers, reached similar conclusions.

” [governing body] We have not been able to secure an effective and proactive hospital-wide infection control program for the prevention, management and investigation of infectious diseases and infectious diseases (including COVID-19). ” “The cumulative impact of these systematic practices has led to hospital failure. [governing body] This is to ensure that quality medical care is provided in a safe manner. “

Employees of Fountain Valley Regional Hospital claimed that the facility did not implement appropriate infection control measures. In a recent report, state health officials agreed.

(Raul Lore / Staff Photographer)

Inspectors found that multiple cases of COVID-19 patients were housed in a room next to an uninfected patient.

They also noted that hospitals were unable to cohort infected patients in isolation and failed to provide a dedicated team of employees working only in isolated units.

During a site visit on July 17, when the hospital’s intensive care unit was filled with COVID-19 patients, investigators found a total of 48 infected individuals and two patients whose condition was still determined. Found to be housed in eight different units. Virus-free patients.

Investigators also observed improper hand washing among doctors. At least one unmasked patient has drawn blood and has not put a used gown in a suitable container.

“These failures pose a risk of mutual pollution and spread of the infection,” the report concluded.

Barbara Lewis, head of the NUHW Southern California Hospital Division, who helped draft the July 1 allegation, said the union representative received the report on September 15.

“I believe the members’ concerns were verified by this report,” Lewis said Wednesday. “We met with the hospital from late March to mid-May and raised all these concerns. There was no response.”

This process requires hospital personnel to prepare and present a revision plan that describes the actions that will be taken to address the numerous findings identified during the study that ended July 22. did.

Todd Burke, a spokesman for Tenet Healthcare, the owner of the hospital, confirmed that the plan was completed and approved by the Medicare and Medicaid Service Centers.

“A follow-up survey was conducted this week and the results are waiting to verify the actions outlined in our remediation plan,” Burke said in an email. “The Fountain Valley Regional Medical Center takes patient safety very seriously and is committed to continuously improving quality measures and safety procedures.”

After the visit, Fountain Valley Regional opened the COVID-19 unit, which was isolated from other patient populations and was staffed with employees to treat only infected individuals. Mr Lewis said NUHW will strive to ensure that the instructions outlined in the hospital’s correction plan are followed.

“We are 100% confident that our members will continue to work on this, document and raise issues, and focus on them,” she said.

Employees-many of whom were found to protest the terms at two rallies this summer-have made many positive changes, but much more has been done, especially in the area of ​​testing. Is not …

The hospital is currently advising symptomatic employees to perform self-quarantine and seek testing at one of Orange County’s available testing sites. But employees want more testing.

Mira Fam, a secretary who works in the hospital’s COVID-19 unit and cares for her elderly mother, said front-line workers were exposed to the virus at work and were afraid to take it home.

“We may be a career, but we haven’t been tested, so I don’t know if we have one,” she said. “We will be tested for [tuberculosis] Every year — why not COVID-19? “

According to Lewis, union representatives are now urging state lawmakers to consider a testing regimen that requires all newly admitted and readmitted patients to be tested for COVID-19 on arrival.

The plan also tests 25% of facility staff on a weekly rotation basis, in addition to baseline testing of all health care workers, as well as testing of all symptomatological and potentially exposed employees. I am seeking.

“Testing remains a major issue for members, especially during the flu season,” Lewis said. “It’s very important to test everyone.”

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