Legislature Passes Bill Protecting Radiation Patients

The State Legislature gave final approval to a bill requiring stricter standards for hospitals in order to prevent radiation overdoses of patients. The senate bill, which was approved with a 21-10 vote on Aug. 30, was authored by Senator Alex Padilla, who represents parts of the San Fernando Valley. The bill now goes to the governor. The bill aims to prevent patients from being exposed to excess radiation during CT scans. It requires radiation dosage levels to be recorded on the scanned image and in a patient’s health records. It also requires radiation overdoses to be reported to the patient, the treating physician and the state’s Department of Public Health. The bill requires the same level of monitoring and reporting on therapeutic x-rays. Padilla brought the legislation to lawmakers after the Department of Public Health learned that, over an 18-month period, 260 patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center were exposed to excess radiation. Reviews of other hospitals identified similar errors at Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, Bakersfield Memorial Hospital and Mad River Community Hospital in Arcata, Calif. Jessica Selva