Washington D.C.-Based Greater Southeast Hospital Fined $20,000 Over Patient Care

Washington, D.C.-based Greater Southeast Community Hospital on Aug. 4 was fined $20,000 by the city's Department of Health for "serious lapses" in patient care, department Director James Buford confirmed on Aug. 27, the Washington Times reports. Health inspectors fined Greater Southeast $10,000 for a "failure to provide care in accordance with good medical practices in a safe setting" and an additional $10,000 for a "failure by nurses and the attending emergency room physician to attend to a patient in a timely manner," the Times reports. The health department did not disclose details of how the violations occurred, and Buford said only that inspectors issued the fines for violations that happened "outside of the confines of the consent agreement" (McElhatton, Washington Times, 8/29). Earlier this month, officials from Greater Southeast and the health department finalized an agreement that will give the hospital 60 days to achieve quality of care improvements in order to regain its operating license. Greater Southeast -- the only hospital in the southeastern quadrant of the city and the primary provider under the D.C. Healthcare Alliance, a private organization that provides indigent care -- has been operating since August 2002 under a provisional license. Under the agreement, Greater Southeast officials will be required to assure that at least two physicians are assigned to the emergency department at all times; establish a "core nursing staff" for emergency care; upgrade training processes, building maintenance and record-keeping; provide triage to all individuals seeking care within 30 minutes of their arrival; and give daily progress updates to the health department. If the hospital does not meet the requirements, it will lose its license (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 8/14). Hospital officials did not comment on the fines. However, Joan Phillips, administrator of the hospital, said in a prepared statement on Aug. 20 that Greater Southeast is working with the city to provide "safe patient care" (Washington Times, 8/29).