State Fines Hospital $54,000 Over Death
State officials have levied $54,000 in penalties against operators of Alameda County’s psychiatric hospital over alleged lax procedures that may have led to the death of a physician.
A citation alleging four violations was issued by Cal/OSHA this week to the Alameda County Medical Center, which runs the John George Psychiatric Pavilion in San Leandro. Dr. Erlinda Ursua, 60, died in November after allegedly being beaten and strangled by a patient.
Cal/OSHA says the medical center shouldn’t have allowed use of an isolated exam room, where the doctor died. The state also contends that an attendant should have been in the room, that the doctor shouldn’t have been wearing a scarf and that she should have had access to an alarm. Authorities believe that Ursua may have been strangled with her scarf.
Hospital spokesman Jeff Raleigh said the agency had not decided whether to appeal the fines.
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