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NICU Situation Has Been Resolved

All Areas of WMMC, Including Our NICU, Are Operating Safely and Normally

NICU QualityOn December 4, 2006, White Memorial Medical Center (WMMC) temporarily closed its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to new admissions after detecting several cases of a common bacterium called pseudomonas.

We immediately contacted local, state and federal public health agencies and worked with them to conduct a full investigation. We took swift action, pinpointed the problem, and resolved it.

This situation was contained entirely in the NICU and never spread to any other area of the hospital.

After the investigation, they concluded it was safe to admit new infants to the NICU. There have been no new cases of pseudomonas detected in NICU infants since early December.

We also immediately contacted all the families involved. Of the 33 infants in the NICU at the time, two infant deaths may have been related to the presence of the bacterium. Our deepest sympathies have gone out to these families. The hospital has communicated closely with the families and we continue to be available to discuss any concerns.

Steps We Took to Resolve the NICU Situation

We take the trust of our community and our mission to serve very seriously. As a result of this situation we have taken the following actions:

  • We worked closely with Los Angeles County health officials, consulted three children’s hospitals in southern California and across the country, and implemented their recommendations.

  • We ensured that all departments are following hospital policy, requiring that all medical equipment be cleaned by the department with the expertise to do this.

  • We brought in a respiratory management expert with 25 years of experience in this field to provide new leadership over respiratory care services, and ensure consistent application of policies.

Patient safety remains our first priority at WMMC. We have received enormous support and confidence from our community, and we are grateful for that support. WMMC continues to be a hospital of excellent clinical quality, compassion and integrity, dedicated to serving this community as we have for nearly 100 years.

More Information About NICU and Pseufomonas

For more information, read the statements and fact sheets below or call our toll free number: 1 (888) 771-1883.

Posted 1/26/07