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Pacifica Hospital Hit in Patient Dumping Case

Pacifica Hospital of the Valley has signed an agreement with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office to change its discharge policies and pay $500,000 to homeless service providers. The for-profit, 242-bed hospital in Sun Valley was involved in an incident earlier this year when it allegedly improperly discharged a homeless patient with a mental disability and transported the person to Skid Row, according to the City Attorney. “Patient dumping has no place in our society, and my office will do everything possible to end this inhumane practice,” said City Attorney Mike Feuer in a statement. Pacifica Hospital of the Valley did not admit to any wrongdoing and has cooperated with the City Attorney’s office. It also agreed to ensure the incident would not be repeated. “Pacifica Hospital of the Valley is committed to offering patients excellent care and to implementing discharge policies that assure that when a patient leaves our hospital, that the patient’s re-entry into society is done in a respectful and humane manner,” said Dr. Ayman Mousa, chief executive at Pacifica Hospital, in a statement. The homeless organizations that will share the $500,000 include L.A. Family Housing in North Hollywood and a number of rescue missions downtown. In addition, Pacifica will pay the city attorney’s investigative costs.

Joel Russel
Joel Russel
Joel Russell joined the Los Angeles Business Journal in 2006 as a reporter. He transferred to sister publication San Fernando Valley Business Journal in 2012 as managing editor. Since he assumed the position of editor in 2015, the Business Journal has been recognized four times as the best small-circulation tabloid business publication in the country by the Alliance of Area Business Publishers. Previously, he worked as senior editor at Hispanic Business magazine and editor of Business Mexico.

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