Tucson, Ariz.-based Northwest Medical Center has paid civil penalties of $1,750 for delays in the emergency department and for putting patients at risk for "outcomes of harm" because they left before being evaluated by a primary care provider, according to a report from the Arizona Daily Star.
Investigators from the Arizona Department of Health Services visited the hospital's ED Jan. 14 in response to a complaint and found 16 problems in the 27 cases it reviewed.
One such problem was a pregnant woman experiencing bleeding who went to the ED and left eight and a half hours later without being triaged. Another was an infant with chicken pox who was left in a public waiting room for more than three hours, according to the report.
The hospital has addressed the issues noted in the report, according to a statement given to the Arizona Daily Star. "Our patients are now effectively triaged and our goal is to have patients initially seen by a medical professional within 30 minutes," the statement reads. "Our caregiving team is focused on service and these changes have enhanced the experience of our ER patients."