The company that owns Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood has come under fire after a recent state investigation found inaccurate diagnoses of patients with a serious blood infection.
The findings of the state investigation, the subject of a report by California Watch, found that hospitals operated by Prime Healthcare Services had higher rates of patients with septicemia than other facilities from 2008 to 2009. The state Health and Human Services Department is investigating whether Prime was misdiagnosing the patients intentionally to receive Medicare payments for treatment.
The investigation began last year in response to charges by the Service Employees International Union about the high rates of the blood infection, which were more than triple the national average.
Prime Healthcare Services, which operates several hospitals in Southern California, released a statement disputing the state's findings. Prime attorney Mike Sarrao said in a statement that the hospital system is confident the state's findings will be reversed once the facts are reviewed.
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