The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Licensing and Certification surveyors may visit a hospital at any time to determine whether the hospital is in compliance with state licensing requirements. Visits may result from a complaint by a patient, employee or other third party; a newspaper article; or a report by the hospital itself regarding an unusual occurrence, privacy breach or adverse event.

If surveyors find a violation of state laws, they will issue a statement of deficiencies, and the hospital is required to submit a plan of correction to CDPH. If the violation constitutes a violation of state licensure requirements and an “immediate jeopardy” to the health or safety of a patient, CDPH may assess an administrative penalty.

CDPH has announced approximately $7.5 million in fines on hospitals for allegedly placing patients in “immediate jeopardy” of serious injury or death since January 2007 when the department was given the authority by SB 1312 (now codified at Health and Safety Code Section 1280.1). Fines have been levied against general acute-care and psychiatric hospitals (as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 1250 (a) and (b)).

At the request of member hospitals and to better track the citations and fines, CHA has created an online Catalog of CDPH Immediate Jeopardy Administrative Penalties.