Six months of inspections at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital: December 2023 to May
The Jefferson Health hospital was cited for failing to adequately investigate a patient complaint of abuse.
Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital was cited by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for failing to adequately investigate a patient’s complaint of alleged abuse by a doctor in March.
The incident was one of two times health department inspectors visited the hospital, formerly known as Einstein Medical Center, to investigate potential safety problems between December 2023 and May.
Here’s a look at the publicly available details:
Mar. 7: Inspectors cited the hospital for failing to adequately investigate a patient’s complaint. In November, a patient with a large bruise on their lower back and buttocks said the injury was caused when “two doctors kicked me last month.” Staff didn’t investigate the complaint because the patient said it had happened a month earlier, according to the inspection report. The injury was documented in medical records and staff ordered a CT scan (also known as a CAT scan) and ultrasound, but staff did not make an incident report. The hospital agreed to document and investigate all patient statements alleging abuse and educate staff on the policy.
Apr. 18: Inspectors investigated a complaint but found the hospital was in compliance. Complaint details are not made public when inspectors determine it was unfounded.
Pennsylvania Department of Health routinely inspects hospitals to ensure the facility is safe for patients and that staff are following all safety protocols. Inspectors may also visit when a hospital staff member or patient files a complaint.
Not all safety violations spark an on-site investigation from inspectors. Hospitals are required to self-report the most serious safety violations and often work directly with the state to address them. Complaint details are not made public when inspectors determine it was unfounded.
The Inquirer tracks publicly available hospital reports related to a complaint, special monitoring, and general safety inspections. The Inquirer does not track inspections for new equipment or occupancy surveys, unless problems are identified.
Inspection reports are publicly available online and are released 40 days after the report is completed.
The Inquirer is publishing roundups of state inspection reports for Pa. hospitals in our coverage area.
