HospitalInspections.org

27126

Based on observation, staff interview and administrative document review, the hospital failed to comply with the standards for licensing established by the State of California for hospitals when no in-patients were being provided service. This failure resulted in the hospital not meeting the definition of an acute care hospital.

Findings:

On 7/9/13 at 9:30 a.m., during an observation, the medical-surgical unit was toured. The inpatient area was configured on one floor and along two corridors. The medical surgical unit had a capacity to admit 32 patients. All rooms were clean with beds. No in-patients were in the hospital for the entire survey 7/8/13 through 7/11/13. Observation of the facility license in the main lobby of the hospital indicated the license number was 040000087 with an effective date of 06/01/2013 and the expiration date of 5/21/2014 with a licensed bed capacity of 32 general acute care beds.

On 7/9/13 at 9 a.m., during a concurrent interview, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), confirmed the hospital did not have any inpatients. The CEO confirmed that the hospital was making arrangements with medical staff to be able to admit and have inpatients by 9/15/13.

On 7/9/13 at 9:10 a.m., during an interview, the CEO stated, "We are getting back on our feet incrementally, opening ORs (operating rooms) first. Increasing volume to increase revenue. The plan is to rehire inpatient nursing staff in September 2013. Reopen med-surg (medical-surgical) in-patient unit mid-September. Planning Hospitalist (physicians that provide care while you are in the hospital) Staff to be over ED (Emergency Department) and in-patient. Then we will need to reopen the ED."

The California Code of Regulations Title 22 section 70005 for General Acute Care Hospital indicated the following: "(a) General Acute Care Hospital means a hospital, licensed by the Department, having a duly constituted governing body with ovearall administrative and professional responsibility and an organized medical staff which provides 24-hour inpatient care, including the following basic services: medical, nursing, surgical, anesthesia, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, and dietary services..."