Planned Parenthood – Birmingham

Clinic is closed

Health Violations

• Clinic failed to maintain active operations as their license stated.  There was a sign posted on the door stating “We apologize for the inconvenience but this health center is temporarily closed.”
• Two employees sold abortion pills to patients in the parking lot, the director decided to start over with new staff, so they closed the clinic until they could hire and train neglecting to inform the Health Department that they were not operating.
• There was no job description in the personnel folder for the Health Center Manager
• Nurse practitioner, 2 health care associates and one RN had no record of Hep B vaccine or TB skin testing. This had the potential to put all staff and patient’s at risk and exhibits a disregard for the health and well being of all staff and patients.
• Two physicians had no review of competency by the medical director so there is no assurance that they are competent to perform safe procedures
• Medical records were inaccurate and incomplete.
  • patient’s chart had another patient’s ultrasound in it
  • no record of the route of administration for the misoprostol on several patient’s charts
  • the physician failed to mark the fetus viability outside the uterus for patients
    
  • the physician failed to document the size of the uterus in weeks
  • another ultrasound included a different patient’s name than the chart yet the correct medical record number.
• A review of the Medical Procedure discharge paperwork fails to include medications taken at the clinic, medications to take at home, and the name of the physician who will provide care in the event of a complication.
• The clinic failed to assure all staff followed the policy for hand washing, cleaning equipment between patient use and cleaning recovery room chairs.
• Staff did not follow proper procedure to clean, disinfect and sterilize equipment that was used from woman to woman
• Failure to ensure a policy for physician qualifications including observation of clinical skills