Local News in Brief : Hospital May Lose Funds
Federal health authorities notified Hollywood Community Hospital Friday that its Medicare funding will be terminated in two weeks unless the hospital can prove that medical conditions have improved.
The action by the Health Care Financing Administration followed a recent survey of the hospital by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Inspectors accused the hospital of providing poor patient care, performing surgery without valid consent and failing to investigate obvious medical problems. The 91-bed hospital also was accused of consistently failing to provide enough food to elderly patients recovering from surgery.
“These allegations are at the most serious end of the scale,” said HCFA official Ron Currie. On the recommendation of county health officials, he said, his office is moving to bar the hospital from receiving millions of dollars a year from Medicare, the federal program that subsidizes health care for the elderly.
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