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Nov 10, 2005 5:37 pm US/Pacific 
Kaiser Inspection Records Show Signs Of Danger 
Tony Russomanno Reporting

from: http://cbs5.com/health/local_story_314204226.html

(CBS 5) A surprise inspection at Kaiser's Santa Clara hospital found medical errors that resulted in the deaths of at least three patients, and serious injuries to several others.

A team of doctors, nurses and pharmacists from the state Department of Health Services arrived at the hospital to inspect all patient records last March. The review was carried out under the authority of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which has the power to stop all Medicare payments to the hospital.

In a 22-page report, the state said performance improvement was required throughout all of the hospital’s departments.

Again and again, the report said the hospital does not meet federal standards. The document details the death of a 64-year-old man who was given too much medicine for a stroke. And the hospitals own medical review department did not get a report on the death until 17 days later. Too late, according to the state, to do an investigation.

A second patient, a 77-year-old man, died when he choked on food fed to him despite his doctor's written orders. The report on that death was also delayed, with no explanation.

Hospital officials promised improvements, but four months after the inspection, a 12-year-old girl died after she was given the wrong medicine.

In addition, 21-year-old Christopher Wibeto died at Kaiser's Santa Teresa hospital in August when he was given another patient's chemotherapy drug. A Kaiser spokesman would not comment when asked if there were any other deaths from medical errors at Santa Clara or Santa Teresa.

“15,000 people a year die in this state through accidental error,” says Attorney William Campisi.

Campisi is currently handling several medical malpractice cases against Kaiser hospitals. Kaiser represents such a large part of his business that he has a Web site for Kaiser consumers. He says hospitals try to hide deaths by medical error.

“They turn these accidental deaths into deaths due to medical illness, and once they get that to happen, once they transform a mistake into death due to medical illness, then it is erased,” says Campisi. “They don’t have to report it to anybody. Nobody has to know about it except the family.”

We called Kaiser numerous times for a response, but we have not received comment.

For the complete inspection review, click here