Cancer Score Cards 2011-2012
Kaiser Permanente
San Diego Medical
Center
Cancer Score Card
U.S. News Hospital Score
5.1/100
Survival
Worse than expected
[Also worse than expected
in 2011-2012]
Patient safety
Low
Technologies
Number of important
technologies available in this
specialty
University of
California, San Diego
Medical Center
Cancer Score Card
U.S. News Hospital Score
28.3/100
Survival
Better than expected
Patient safety
Lowest
NCI cancer center
Yes
Accredited for bone marrow and
tissue transplant
2.002.00
Technologies
Number of important technologies
available in this specialty
High
UC San Diego
Medical
Center
Cancer Score Card
Hospital
Ranking #47
U.S. News Hospital
Score
33.7/100
Survival
Much better
than
expected
Success in keeping
patients safe
Moderate
Patient volume
High
Nurse staffing
High
Nurse Magnet
hospital
No
NCI cancer center
Yes
Transplant
accreditation
2
Advanced
technologies
Highest
Ronald
Reagan UCLA
Medical Center
Cancer Score Card
Hospital Ranking
#10
U.S. News Hospital
Score
58.0/100
Survival
Much better
than expected
Success in keeping
patients safe
Moderate
Patient volume
Highest
Nurse staffing
Highest
Nurse Magnet hospital
Yes
NCI cancer center
Yes
Transplant
accreditation
2
Advanced
technologies
Highest
Kaiser Foundation
Hospital-Sunset
(Los Angeles)
Cancer Score Card
U.S. News Hospital Score
31.0/100
Survival
Much better than
expected
Success in keeping patients safe
Superior
Patient volume
Low
Nurse staffing
Highest
Nurse Magnet hospital
No
NCI cancer center
No
Transplant accreditation
0
Advanced technologies
Highest
Comparing different Kaiser locations (2011-2012 rankings)
|
Kaiser Permanente
San Diego Medical
Center
Cancer Score Card
U.S. News Hospital Score
11.2/100
Survival
Worse than expected
Success in keeping patients safe
Moderate
Patient volume
Medium
Nurse staffing
Lowest
Nurse Magnet hospital
No
NCI cancer center
No
Transplant accreditation
0
Advanced technologies
Medium
Teacher’s lawsuit alleges improper cancer
diagnosis
Complaint: Kaiser failed to schedule a timely consultation with oncologist
November 12, 2011
The Maui News
HONOLULU - A Maui High School science teacher and his wife are suing
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. and other heath care entities, alleging
doctors misdiagnosed his rare form of cancer and later refused to cover the
costs of treatment elsewhere that saved his life.
The complaint says that Kaiser did not properly diagnose Michael Siopes'
neuroendocrine cancer and "embarked on an improper and potentially
disastrous course of treatment," according to a statement Wednesday
afternoon from the law firm of Davis Levin Livingston.
Kaiser spokeswoman Laura Lott said Kaiser could not comment because the
case is in litigation.
Attorneys for Siopes said that the Kaiser physician in charge of his
care "candidly admitted that he had never seen or treated Michael's
type of cancer," which was neuroendocrine carcinoma of the
gastroesophageal junction.
"Even though Kaiser recognized that Michael suffered from an
extremely rare and deadly form of cancer, it failed to schedule a timely
consultation with an oncologist or provide Michael with his requested
second opinion," Siopes' law firm stated in a news release.
The law firm said Michael and Lacey Siopes decided to seek a second
opinion from physicians experienced with neuroendocrine cancer.
They flew to Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina where
Michael Siopes was evaluated, properly diagnosed and received
appropriate treatment. He was hospitalized from March through June 2010.
During that time, his tumor was reduced through radiation treatment and
removed.
Today, Siopes, a 42-year-old Haiku resident, is cancer free and has returned
to teaching at Maui High.
But his attorneys said Kaiser has refused to cover the cost of Siopes' medical
treatment, although that is required by state law and by Kaiser's health
insurance plan. He has been a member of Kaiser since 1994.
"Faced with mounting medical bills, Michael's friends, students and community
have provided assistance to protect the Siopes family from financial ruin,
including holding a fundraiser at Ruby's Diner in Kahului," the law firm said.
The Siopes family faces more than $277,000 in medical bills, said attorney
Matthew Winter.
"The long struggle of this family to obtain the medical care they contracted to
receive from Kaiser has had a devastating emotional and financial impact on
their lives," Winter said. "We all hope that this case will resolve Kaiser's
obligation to its patients and will serve as a disincentive to mistreat the
members of its health plan."
The lawsuit was filed in 1st Circuit Court on Oahu.
Siopes' attorneys are seeking the cost of his medical bills, as well as special,
general and punitive damages to be proven at trial, along with attorneys' fees.
November 13, 2011
Jenny Devitt, MD
Assistant Area Medical Director
Southern California Permanente Medical Group
San Diego Medical Center
Hematology/Oncology Department
4647 Zion Ave
San Diego, CA 92120
Dear Dr. Devitt:
Are you paying attention to Dr. Andrew Golden’s actions regarding
my case? Dr. Golden says that Dr. Bernstein asked him to handle the
case in early August 2011. I would expect that Dr. Golden, and perhaps
Dr. Bernstein, discussed the case with you.
Why was the Quality Review by Michele Thomsen cancelled a
week after it was initiated? Was the cancellation planned before the
review was ordered? Was the “review” merely a hoax to make me think
that Kaiser Permanente was honestly interested in maintaining medical
standards and obeying the law?
Dr. Golden wrote to me on August 9, 2011: “I am forwarding your letter to
our Quality Review Department for a thorough confidential review of the
care that you have documented.”
However, it appears he and Dr. Bernstein were not quite as interested in a
Quality Review as the letter indicated. The review was cancelled and
closed exactly one week later on 08/16/2011.
I am writing to confirm that you approved the cancellation of the review.
Please let me know if I am wrong.
I am also writing to confirm that you know that the San Diego Kaiser
Permanente Medical Center, for which you are an oncologist and an
AAMD, has worse than expected survival for cancer patients according to
the 2011-2012 US News and World Report hospital rankings. Do you
think that cancelling quality reviews might be in any way related to
the deadly outcomes for Kaiser patients?
Sincerely,
Maura Larkins
Dr. Jenny Devitt is the superior
of Dr. Andrew Golden, who is
the Director of Service for San
Diego KP
Jenny Devitt, MD
Assistant Area Medical
Director
Southern California Permanente
Medical Group
San Diego Medical Center
Hematology/Oncology Department
4647 Zion Ave
San Diego, CA 92120
What a difference a few miles makes! Travel across town, and
you live instead of die.
Obviously, the difference between these two Kaiser locations can
be measured in human lives.
Paul Bernstein, M.D.
San Diego Area Medical Director for SCPMG
(May 2009)
Otolaryngology--32 years experience (as of August 2011)
Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center
4647 Zion Ave
San Diego, CA 92120
It should be noted that Maura Larkins first contacted Dr. Paul Bernstein,
Medical Director for San Diego, regarding the above matter, but he kicked the
problem down to Dr. Andrew Golden and Golden's boss, Dr. Jenny Devitt.
Merkel cell skin cancer
October 25, 2011
As you know, Kaiser Permanente has denied care to my mother (Carol
**) for over a year. As you also know, I have been trying to get
information to her doctor for months. Your office has refused to act on
information concerning a life-threatening condition. Your delay could
potentially cost my mother her life. I previously informed Kaiser of a
regrowth of a Merkel cell skin cancer over my mother's throat. On
October 20, 2011, the family noted additional growths on the left side of
my mother's neck under her collar. These growths are - in diameter, pale
yellow color and slightly raised. They are identical to the Merkel cell
cancer that was removed in 2009.
Merkel cell patients should be examined regularly for any recurrence of
cancer. Obviously, those exams did not occur and the cancer has grown
unchecked. I trust that Dr. Duncan ** is comfortable with having
abandoned my mother, not only to ongoing elder abuse but also to
unchecked cancer growth. I trust that you are also comfortable with your
role in delaying treatment, a delay that could cost my mother her life.
As I requested in my October 21 and October 24 phone calls, I would like
a letter from you stating your reasons for failing to act on crucial medical
information. I also request your justification for denying care since
October 8, 2010. I request your justification for refusing to accept the two
grievances that I filed. Your signed Statement of Authorized
Representative is enclosed. I drove from San Jose to Yucaipa, a 14-hour
round trip, to deliver the document to my mother. Mom signed as best as
she could manage. She is nearly blind due to cataracts that Kaiser never
removed, so she could not see the signature line on the paper. She has
no feeling in her extremities and her fingers are nearly immobile.
Peripheral neuropathy is a result of decades on methotrexate, which was
prescribed and dispensed by Kaiser. I enclosed a photo of my mother
struggling to sign the document that you require before you will consider
the possibility of providing care.
I expect that you will use my mother's inability to sign legibly as yet
another reason to deny care. I now understand the meaning of managed
care. You collect monthly fees from Medicare, while denying services to
debilitated elders who cannot advocate for themselves. You then refuse
to act on crucial information provided by family members who attempt to
advocate for your managed care victims.
Your job pays the same, whether my mom receives care or not. [Maura
Larkins comment: I think you may be wrong about this, Carol. The
doctors who are owners of Permanente Medical Group make
higher profits when they give less care. Also, I suspect they may
be given some type of bonus for limiting access of patients who
have been targeted for limited care.]
Carol of Saratoga, C
Sharp Memorial
Hospital
San Diego
Cancer Score Card
U.S. News Hospital
Score
17.4/100
Survival
Worse than
expected
Success in keeping
patients safe
Moderate
Patient volume
Medium
Nurse staffing
Average
Nurse Magnet
hospital
Yes
NCI cancer center
No
Transplant
accreditation
0
Advanced
technologies
Highest
Sharp Grossmont
Hospital
San Diego
Cancer Score Card
U.S. News Hospital
Score
8.8/100
Survival
Much worse
than
expected
Success in keeping
patients safe
Moderate
Patient volume
Medium
Nurse staffing
Highest
Nurse Magnet hospital
Yes
NCI cancer center
No
Transplant
accreditation
0
Advanced
technologies
Highest
Comparing San Diego hospitals (see other cities below)
Kaiser Permanente in San Diego Oncology
Department--why is survival worse than expected?
Kaiser Permanente
South Sacramento
Medical Center
6600 Bruceville Road
Sacramento, CA 95823-4671
(916) 688–2430
No cancer treatment;
see Sacramento
Medical Center
> > >
Kaiser Permanente
Sacramento Medical
Center
2025 Morse Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95825-2115
(916) 973–5000
Cancer Score Card
U.S. News Hospital Score
8.1/100
Survival
Much worse than
expected
Success in keeping patients
safe
Limited
Patient volume
High
Nurse staffing
Highest
Nurse Magnet hospital
No
NCI cancer center
No
Transplant accreditation
0
Advanced technologies
Scripps Mercy
Hospital
San Diego
Cancer Score Card
U.S. News Hospital
Score
23.9/100
Survival
Better than
expected
Success in keeping
patients safe
Moderate
Patient volume
Medium
Nurse staffing
Highest
Nurse Magnet hospital
No
NCI cancer center
No
Transplant
accreditation
0
Advanced technologies
Highest
Scripps La Jolla
Hospitals and
Clinics
Cancer Score Card
U.S. News Hospital
Score
23.5/100
Survival
As expected
Success in keeping
patients safe
Moderate
Patient volume
High
Nurse staffing
Highest
Nurse Magnet hospital
Yes
NCI cancer center
No
Transplant accreditation
2
Advanced technologies
Highest
Kaiser
Permanente
San Diego
Medical
Center
Cancer Score Card
U.S. News Hospital
Score
11.2/100
Survival
Worse than
expected
Success in keeping
patients safe
Moderate
Patient volume
Medium
Nurse staffing
Lowest
Nurse Magnet hospital
No
NCI cancer center
No
Transplant
accreditation
0
Advanced
technologies
Medium
Tri-City Medical Center
Cancer
best Rank in This Specialty
#NA
Overall Score in This Specialty
7.7 / 100
Reputation with specialists
% of responding specialists surveyed
in 2011, 2012 and 2013 who named
hospital as among best for difficult
cases.
None
0.1
Score: 0.0%
Survival
Higher numbers mean fewer deaths
than expected 30 days after
admission, after adjusting for severity
and other risks.
Much worse than expected
0.1
Score: 1
Much worse than expected=1-2
Success in keeping patients safe
Ability to prevent six types of accidents
and medical errors.
Limited
5
Score: 1
Limited=1 out of 3
Show more
Cancer patient volume
Number of Medicare inpatients who
had specified disorders or specified
procedures in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Lowest
5
340 discharges
Lowest=0-399
Nurse staffing
Indicates relative balance of nurses
and patients hospitalwide; higher
numbers mean more nurses.
Average
50
Score: 1.4
Average=1.3-1.6
Nurse Magnet recognition
Score: x
NCI-designated cancer center
Score: x
Advanced technologies
Medium
50
2013-2014
San Diego Education Report
|
San Diego
Education Report
Kaiser Permanente
San Diego Medical
Center
Overall Score in This
Specialty
25.9 / 100
Survival
Worse than expected
5 Score: 3
Worse than expected: 3 or 4
Patient safety
Moderate
50 Score: 4 Moderate: 2, 3 or 4
out of 5
Patient volume
Highest 100 893 discharges
Highest: 850 or above
Nursing intensity
High
75
Score: 1.9
High: 1.7-1.9
NCI-designated cancer center
NO
FACT-accredited for BMT and
tissue transplant
0 out of 2
Advanced technologies
Highest 100 Score: 8
Highest: 7 or 8 out of 8
Intensivist on staff
yes
UC San Diego Medical
Center
Rankings
Cancer
Rank in This Specialty
#25
Overall Score in This Specialty
63.3 / 100
Reputation with specialists
Modest: 0.1%-2.9%
Survival
Much better than expected
100
Score: 9
Much better than expected: 9 or 10
Patient safety
Ability to prevent eight types of
accidents and medical errors.
High 100 Score: 5
Patient volume
Highest
Nursing intensity
Highest
NCI-designated cancer center
yes
FACT-accredited for BMT and tissue
transplant
Certified for bone marrow and tissue
transplantation by Foundation for the
Accreditation of Cellular Therapy.
Advanced technologies
Highest
100
Score: 8
Highest: 7 or 8 out of 8
2014-2015 Cancer