A new report shows San Diego County has two hospitals with much higher than average mortality rates for pneumonia patients. North County’s Palomar and Pomerado Hospitals were among 28 of the worst performers in California for treating pneumonia. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.
The report comes from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. It compares outcome data for pneumonia patients at 309 hospitals between January 2002 and November 2004.
Andy Hoang is a spokesman for Palomar Pomerado Health. He has a simple explanation for why his facilities’ mortality rates were so high.
Hoang: We had a huge problem with coding, and the patients that came in with community acquired pneumonia were not classified appropriately.
Nonetheless, state health officials say consumers should use the report to help choose the best hospital for treating pneumonia. In San Diego County, Scripps Memorial in Encinitas and Paradise Valley in National City had the lowest mortality rates.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
