Must Pass Inspection, King/Drew Workers Told

The acting administrator at Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center told several hundred employees at a meeting this week that he expects the beleaguered hospital to pass the next surprise inspection by state medical investigators.

However, Edward Renford underscored the problems facing the county-run facility, saying that staff members must “make themselves accountable” for fixing any health care violations they find in the future.

A previous inspection by state investigators this year found widespread patient care violations at the Watts hospital, and federal health care officials have threatened to shut off $60 million in public health-care funds to the 430-bed medical center if the deficiencies are not corrected by Dec. 21. Renford said he expects another surprise spot-check of the hospital during the next five weeks.

“We will have to be ready (for an inspection) every day from now on, and we haven’t been,” he told employees. “We cannot play games with this. This is serious.”