The Ongoing Problem Of Hospital Negligence Part 2: Florida Panhandle Hospitals
Hospital rankings systems are important from a societal standpoint and for purposes of governmental funding, but the methodology is also helpful on a personal level. When you need to make decisions regarding where to obtain care, you need solid guidance regarding the facilities in your area. Anyone in the Florida Panhandle may want to carefully assess their full options in this region, as some facilities may be cause for concern.
Our series on the ongoing problem of hospital negligence in Florida began with an overview of the Leapfrog grading system, along with a discussion on patient rights after suffering harm because of misconduct. One major hospital, a 457-bed hospital in Pensacola, FL, received a C grade for Spring of 2021 as a result of patients experiencing blood Infections, C-Diff infections, surgical site infections after colon surgery, dangerous blood clots, and too few specially trained physicians for their intensive care patients.
Another large panhandle hospital, located in Panama City, FL received one of the two D grades allocated to hospitals in the state of Florida, with similar grades in previous years and an F grade in 2018. This hospital performed below average on preventing MRSA and blood infections; dangerous objects left in patients’ bodies; surgical wounds re-opening; and accidental cuts and tears. Poor performance in these metric areas may likely be the result of negligent care throughout the hospital.
Factors Behind the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade
Though the facilities underwent the same survey conditions and evaluations by the Leapfrog Group, some of the biggest red flags are:
- Infections: The facility scored below average for such infections as MRSA and C diff, as well as blood and urinary tract infections. A low grade was also linked to problems with surgical site infections after colon surgery
- Understaffing: The report card for West Hospital revealed that the facility was below average in staffing, particularly in the acute care environment. The Hospital Safety Grade noted a lack of specially trained doctors to attend patients in the ICU, where a physician’s knowledge and skills could literally mean the difference between life and death.
- Below average performance in regards to surgical errors such as leaving sponges in the patient’s body or cutting the wrong tissue during a procedure and post-operative wound care.
Claims for Hospital Negligence
A hospital does have the duty to deliver care in accordance with generally accepted standards that apply to health care facilities in Florida. The two concerns described above could be an indication that this hospital deviates from the standard of care, which could support a claim for hospital negligence. Specific acts of misconduct by the facility may include:
- Not implementing proper policies for sanitation in operating rooms, surgical centers, and treatment areas
- Neglect with respect to the overall cleanliness of the hospital in patient rooms and common areas
- Failing to properly staff the ICU with healthcare providers, including physicians that are specially trained to address the specific needs of patients
Contact a Florida Hospital Negligence Lawyer to Learn About Your Rights
If you or a loved one suffered harm through a surgical error, infection or other form of hospital negligence, please contact the Florida hospital negligence attorneys at Freidin Brown, P.A. right away. We can schedule a no-cost case evaluation at our offices in Miami or Fort Myers, FL. After we assess your situation, we can advise you on options for obtaining legal relief. For your reference, below are some of the major hospitals in the panhandle region of Florida.
Florida Panhandle Hospitals:
Ascension Sacred Heart Bay
615 N. Bonita Ave. | Panama City, FL | Bay County
Beds: 323 | Organization Type: Acute Care| Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: Ascension Sacred Heart Health System
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast
7800 US Highway 98, W. | Miramar Beach, FL | Walton County
Beds: 86 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: Ascension Sacred Heart Health System
Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf
3801 E. Highway 98 | Port St. Joe, FL | Gulf County
Beds: 19 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: Ascension Sacred Heart Health System
Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola
5151 N. 9th Ave. | Pensacola, FL | Escambia County
Beds: 547 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: Ascension Sacred Heart Health System
Baptist Hospital
1000 W. Moreno St. | Pensacola, FL | Escambia County
Beds: 492 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: Baptist Health Care
Calhoun-Liberty Hospital Association, Inc.
20370 N.E. Burns Ave. | Blountstown, FL | Calhoun County
Beds: 25| Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System:
Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital
1940 Harrison Ave. | Panama City, FL | Bay County
Beds: 86 | Organization Type: Psychiatric | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Universal Health Services, Inc.
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Panama City
1847 Florida Ave. | Panama City, FL | Bay County
Beds: 75 | Organization Type: Rehabilitation | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Encompass Health
Fort Walton Beach Medical Center
1000 Mar-Walt Dr. | Ft. Walton Beach, FL | Okaloosa County
Beds: 237 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA North Florida Division
Gulf Breeze Hospital
1110 Gulf Breeze Pkwy. | Gulf Breeze, FL | Santa Rosa County
Beds: 77 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: Baptist Health Care
Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center
449 W. 23rd St. | Panama City, FL | Bay County
Beds: 223 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA North Florida Division
Gulf Coast Treatment Center
1015 Mar Walt Dr. | Ft. Walton Beach, FL | Okaloosa County
Beds: 28 | Organization Type: Psychiatric | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Universal Health Services, Inc.
Healthmark Regional Medical Center
4413 US Highway 331, S. | DeFuniak Springs, FL | Walton County
Beds: 50 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System:
Jay Hospital
14114 Alabama St. | Jay, FL | Santa Rosa County
Beds: 49 | Organization Type: Acute Care
Ownership: Not-For-Profit | Parent System: Baptist Health Care
North Okaloosa Medical Center
151 E. Redstone Ave. | Crestview, FL | Okaloosa County
Beds: 110 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Community Health Systems, Inc.
Northwest Florida Community Hospital
1360 Brickyard Rd. | Chipley, FL | Washington County
Beds: 59 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System:
Santa Rosa Medical Center
6002 Berryhill Rd. | Milton, FL | Santa Rosa County
Beds: 129 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Community Health Systems, Inc.
Select Specialty Hospital-Panama City
615 N. Bonita Ave. | Panama City, FL | Bay County
Beds: 30 | Organization Type: Acute Care/LTC | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Select Medical
Select Specialty Hospital-Pensacola
7000 Cobble Creek Dr. | Pensacola, FL | Escambia County
Beds: 75 | Organization Type: Acute Care/LTC | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Select Medical
The Rehabilitation Institute of Northwest Florida
996 Airport Rd. | Destin, FL | Okaloosa County
Beds: 30 | Organization Type: Rehabilitation | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA North Florida Division
Twin Cities Hospital
2190 Hwy. 85, N. | Niceville, FL | Okaloosa County
Beds: 65 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA North Florida Division
West Florida Hospital
8383 N. Davis Hwy. | Pensacola, FL | Escambia County
Beds: 457 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA North Florida Division
West Florida Rehabilitation Institute
8383 N. Davis Hwy. | Pensacola, FL | Escambia County
Beds: 58 | Organization Type: Rehabilitation/Dept. | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA North Florida Division
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