The Ongoing Problem Of Hospital Negligence Part 5: West Florida Hospitals
Medicine is a respected profession, but the individuals and entities responsible for delivering quality patient care are not without fault. From the single physician or medical practice to large-scale hospital facilities, negligence by health care providers puts patients at risk. While not proof of misconduct, the Hospital Safety Grade system established by Leapfrog Group is a helpful resource in assessing how well hospitals are able to meet patient needs. Unfortunately, there are some concerns about facilities in West Florida when it comes to some basic safety issues.
As individuals increasingly act as advocates for their own health, they want to know that they can trust the physicians and facilities providing care. This fifth article in our series on the ongoing problem of hospital negligence in Florida covers the west side of the state, where issues with a lack of leadership, nurse and intensivist shortages and the avoidance of using Computerized Physician Order Entry systems are cause for concern.
A major St. Petersburg hospital, with 480 beds, scored one of the only two D grades in Florida, consistent with its previous grades over the past 3 years. The rating can largely be attributed to their lack of specialty doctors for ICU patients. According to Leapfrog, the most well-staffed hospital received a score of 100, with the average score being 60.72. The hospital with the worst ICU staffing scored a 5 out of 100, which is the rating that this hospital received. In its description of the significance of having specially trained doctors to care for ICU patients, the Hospital Safety Grades website states, “A critical care unit or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a special part of the hospital that provides care for extremely ill patients. Hospitals should have special doctors called intensivists working in the ICU. Intensivists are physicians with advanced training in intensive or critical care. They learn to manage problems in the ICU and help to reduce errors. There are higher death rates in hospitals where ICU patients are not cared for by intensivists.”
While this hospital declined to report on the effectiveness of their leadership structures that address patient safety issues and are held accountable for improvements, their ranking for communication of doctors and nurses with patients also reflect a below average performance. The hospital also performed below average for doctors using computerized physician order entry systems for patients in the hospital. This means that their 70-point score was below that of the average hospital’s (82.18) for the implementation of Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) systems for patient prescriptions, which are design to help medical facilities avoid medication errors that could cause serious harm.
When hospital procedures and management structures fall to a below average standard, patients are likely to be at a higher risk of experiencing an error, accident, or injury. For example, in early July there was national news coverage of an organ transplant mix up, in Ohio, which resulted in a patient receiving a kidney that had already been designated to someone else. The tragic mix up was a reported consequence of a failure to follow protocol during the organ verification process. Similar to the St. Petersburg hospital mentioned above, this Ohio hospital also received a D from Leapfrog’s 2021 Hospital Safety Grades report. They too received the worst score recorded (5/100) for staffing specially trained ICU doctors, and fell significantly below average for their use of CPOE systems, with a 45/100 score.
Considering Filing a Claim for Hospital Negligence
Just as you have rights when a physician makes an error in providing treatment, Florida medical malpractice laws also allow you to pursue a hospital for misconduct. These facilities are held to a certain standard of care, and they can be liable for deviating from what is recognized as acceptable in the field of medicine. Filing a claim for hospital negligence may involve an out-of-court settlement, but a lawsuit may be necessary to obtain fair compensation.
Whether you were injured because of the three factors described above or other circumstances, you may qualify to recover monetary damages for:
- Medical costs to treat the injuries resulting from malpractice
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Losses that affect your personal relationships and quality of life.
Set Up a Consultation with a Florida Hospital Negligence Lawyer
As you can see, there can be challenges in recovering the compensation you deserve in a claim for hospital negligence. Our Florida hospital negligence attorneys at Freidin Brown, P.A. have extensive skills and experience in these cases, so please contact us to schedule a no-cost case revision at our offices. Once we assess your circumstances, we can advise you on your potential remedies.
Resource:
hospitalsafetygrade.org/search?findBy=state&zip_code=&city=&state_prov=FL&hospital=
For reference purposes, below is a list of West Florida hospitals:
AdventHealth Carrollwood
7171 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. | Tampa, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 103 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth Connerton
9441 Health Center Dr. | Land O’ Lakes, FL | Pasco County
Beds: 77 | Organization Type: Acute Care/LTC | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth Dade City
13100 Fort King Rd. | Dade City, FL | Pasco County
Beds: 120 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth Heart of Florida
40100 Highway 27 | Davenport, FL | Polk County
Beds: 202 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth Lake Placid
1210 US Hwy. 27, N. | Lake Placid, FL | Highlands County
Beds: 33 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth Lake Wales
410 S. 11th St. | Lake Wales, FL | Polk County
Beds: 160 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth North Pinellas
1395 S. Pinellas Ave. | Tarpon Springs, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 168 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth Sebring
4200 Sun ‘n Lake Blvd. | Sebring, FL | Highlands County
Beds: 171 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth Tampa
3100 E. Fletcher Ave. | Tampa, FL Hillsborough County
Beds: 536 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth Wauchula
735 S. 5th Ave. | Wauchula, FL | Hardee County
Beds: 25 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel
2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. | Wesley Chapel, FL | Pasco County
Beds: 169 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
AdventHealth Zephyrhills
7050 Gall Blvd. | Zephyrhills, FL | Pasco County
Beds: 149 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: AdventHealth
Bartow Regional Medical Center
2200 Osprey Blvd. | Bartow, FL | Polk County
Beds: 72 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – Bartow Regional Medical Center
BayCare Alliant Hospital
601 Main St. MS#402 | Dunedin, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 48 | Organization Type: Acute Care/LTC | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – Morton Plant Mease Health Care
Bayfront Health Port Charlotte
2500 Harbor Blvd. | Port Charlotte, FL | Charlotte County
Beds: 254 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Community Health Systems, Inc.
Bayfront Health Punta Gorda
809 E. Marion Ave. | Punta Gorda, FL | Charlotte County
Beds: 208 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Community Health Systems, Inc.
Bayfront Health St. Petersburg
701 6th St., S. | St. Petersburg, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 480 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Blake Medical Center
2020 59th St., W. | Bradenton, FL | Manatee County
Beds: 383 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Brandon Regional Hospital
119 Oakfield Dr. | Brandon, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 436 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
DeSoto Memorial Hospital
900 N. Robert Ave. | Arcadia, FL | DeSoto County
Beds: 49 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System:
Doctors Hospital of Sarasota
5731 Bee Ridge Rd. | Sarasota, FL | Sarasota County
Beds: 155 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Largo
901 N. Clearwater Largo Rd. | Largo, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 70 | Organization Type: Rehabilitation | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Encompass Health
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of North Tampa
3840 Atmore Grove Dr. | Lutz, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 50 | Organization Type: Rehabilitation | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Encompass Health
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Sarasota
6400 Edgelake Dr. | Sarasota, FL | Sarasota County
Beds: 96 | Organization Type: Rehabilitation | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Encompass Health
Englewood Community Hospital
700 Medical Blvd. | Englewood, FL | Sarasota County
Beds: 100 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Fawcett Memorial Hospital
21298 Olean Blvd. | Port Charlotte, FL | Charlotte County
Beds: 253 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
- Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
12902 Magnolia Dr. | Tampa, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 218 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System:
Highlands Regional Medical Center
3600 S. Highlands Ave. | Sebring, FL | Highlands County
Beds: 126 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA East Florida Division
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
501 6th Ave., S. | St. Petersburg, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 259 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System:
Kindred Hospital Bay Area-St. Petersburg
3030 6th St., S. | St. Petersburg, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 82 | Organization Type: Acute Care/LTC | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Kindred Healthcare
Kindred Hospital Bay Area-Tampa
4555 S. Manhattan Ave. | Tampa, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 73 | Organization Type: Acute Care/LTC | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Kindred Healthcare
Kindred Hospital Central Tampa
4801 N. Howard Ave. | Tampa, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 102 | Organization Type: Acute Care/LTC | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Kindred Healthcare
Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center
1324 Lakeland Hills Blvd. | Lakeland, FL | Polk County
Beds: 864 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System:
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
8330 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. | Bradenton, FL | Manatee County
Beds: 120 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Universal Health Services, Inc.
Landmark Hospital of Southwest Florida
1285 Creekside Blvd., E. | Naples, FL | Collier County
Beds: 50 | Organization Type: Acute Care/LTC | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System:
Largo Medical Center
201 14th St., S.W. | Largo, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 286 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Largo Medical Center-Indian Rocks
2025 Indian Rocks Rd. | Largo, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 169 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Lehigh Regional Medical Center
1500 Lee Blvd. | Lehigh Acres, FL | Lee County
Beds: 88 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Prime Healthcare Services
Manatee Memorial Hospital
206 Second St., E. | Bradenton, FL | Manatee County
Beds: 295 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Universal Health Services, Inc.
Mease Countryside Hospital
3231 McMullen Booth Rd. | Safety Harbor, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 311 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – Morton Plant Mease Health Care
Mease Dunedin Hospital
601 Main St. | Dunedin, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 120 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – Morton Plant Mease Health Care
Medical Center of Trinity
9330 State Road 54 | Trinity, FL | Pasco County
Beds: 278 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Memorial Hospital of Tampa
2901 Swann Ave. | Tampa, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 183 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Morton Plant Hospital
300 Pinellas St. | Clearwater, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 599 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – Morton Plant Mease Health Care
Morton Plant North Bay Hospital
6600 Madison St. | New Port Richey, FL | Pasco County
Beds: 150 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – Morton Plant Mease Health Care
NCH Baker Hospital
350 7th St., N. | Naples, FL | Collier County
Beds: 391 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: NCH Healthcare System
NCH North Naples Hospital
11190 Health Park Blvd. | Naples, FL | Collier County
Beds: 322 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: NCH Healthcare System
Northside Hospital
6000 49th St., N. | St. Petersburg, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 288 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Palms of Pasadena Hospital
1501 Pasadena Ave., S. | St. Petersburg, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 307 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
PAM Specialty Hospital of Sarasota
6150 Edgelake Dr. | Sarasota, FL | Sarasota County
Beds: 40 | Organization Type: Acute Care/LTC | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Post Acute Medical (PAM)
Physicians Regional Medical Center-Collier Boulevard
8300 Collier Blvd. | Naples, FL | Collier County
Beds: 100 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Community Health Systems, Inc.
Physicians Regional Medical Center-Pine Ridge
6101 Pine Ridge Rd. | Naples, FL | Collier County
Beds: 109 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Community Health Systems, Inc.
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point
14000 Fivay Rd. | Hudson, FL | Pasco County
Beds: 290 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Select Specialty Hospital-Fort Myers
3050 Champion Ring Rd. | Ft. Myers, FL | Lee County
Beds: 60 | Organization Type: Acute Care/LTC | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Select Medical
South Bay Hospital
4016 Sun City Center Blvd. | Sun City Center, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 138 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
South Florida Baptist Hospital
301 N. Alexander St. | Plant City, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 147 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – St. Joseph’s-Baptist Health Care
St. Anthony’s Hospital
1200 7th Ave., N. | St. Petersburg, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 393 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – St. Anthony’s Health Care
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital
3001 W Dr Martin Luther King Jr Bvd | Tampa, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 186 | Organization Type: Acute Care/Dept. | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – St. Joseph’s-Baptist Health Care
St. Joseph’s Hospital
3001 W Dr Martin Luther King Jr Bvd | Tampa, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 542 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – St. Joseph’s-Baptist Health Care
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North
4211 Van Dyke Rd. | Lutz, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 216 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – St. Joseph’s-Baptist Health Care
St. Joseph’s Hospital-South
6901 Simmons Loop | Riverview, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 223 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – St. Joseph’s-Baptist Health Care
St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital
3030 W Dr Martin Luther King Jr Bvd | Tampa, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 169 | Organization Type: Acute Care/Dept. | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – St. Joseph’s-Baptist Health Care
St. Petersburg General Hospital
6500 38th Ave., N. | St. Petersburg, FL | Pinellas County
Beds: 215 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Tampa Community Hospital
6001 Webb Rd. | Tampa, FL | Hillsborough County
Beds: 201 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: HCA West Florida Division
Tampa General Hospital
1 Tampa General Circle | Tampa, FL Hillsborough County
Beds: 1007 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System:
Venice Regional Bayfront Health
540 The Rialto | Venice, FL | Sarasota County
Beds: 312 | Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Investor-Owned
Parent System: Community Health Systems, Inc.
Winter Haven Hospital
200 Avenue F, N.E. | Winter Haven, FL | Polk County
Beds: 447 | Organization Type: Acute Care| Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – Winter Haven Hospital
Winter Haven Women’s Hospital
101 Avenue O, S.E. | Winter Haven, FL | Polk County
Beds: 61 |Organization Type: Acute Care | Ownership: Not-For-Profit
Parent System: BayCare – Winter Hav
