Burbank Hospital’s Prescription for Itself Is Rejected

Los Angeles County health officials said Friday that Burbank Community Hospital’s plan to correct deficiencies in health care and staffing is unacceptable.

The hospital’s plan, which was submitted earlier this month to Department of Health Services officials, lacks definite deadlines for implementation of the corrections and does not contain enough information about how the hospital will assure that the deficiencies will be corrected, the officials said.

“Overall, the plan was very well thought out and generally acceptable, but there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered,” said Robert Karp, program manager for the department’s health facilities division.

“We want specific information of what systems the hospital has in place or will establish to ensure these problems won’t happen again.”

Following an investigation last month, county officials said they found Burbank Community to be deficient in administration, staff procedures, emergency treatment and quality medical assurance.

Disappointed in Ruling

A spokeswoman said that hospital administrator Jurral Rhee was disappointed in the county’s ruling, but that he had not had time to study the findings.

Karp said health investigators will go back within 30 days to see if the hospital is making progress in its improvements. Federal health authorities said this week that Burbank Community’s Medicare status could be revoked unless conditions improve.

The county investigation listed 22 deficiencies at Burbank Community. It said the hospital did not assure that authorized and trained personnel were working in the emergency room. The hospital staff also allowed some physicians to administer emergency care without proper authorization, the report said.

The report also stated that there was little documentation to show that the staff was acting responsibly in reviewing the quality of health care.

The investigation began in late August after a transient, taken to Burbank Community when police found him covered with lice, was found collapsed outside the hospital the next day. Despite requests from police, the hospital refused to readmit the man, saying he had already been properly treated.

The man was taken to County-USC Medical Center, where doctors said he was suffering from dehydration, anemia, malnutrition and alcoholic withdrawal. He was admitted in serious condition.