Suburban Women’s Medical Center

Clinic is No longer performing abortions

• Staff was not properly trained. She had no idea how to turn on the oxygen or the suction machine when asked to do so.
• The suction tubing on the machine had expired 6 years ago.
• Expired medical supplies were in use, rusty equipment, and the medication refrigerator had an accumulation of stagnant black water in the bottom tray. Birth control rings were stored right above the black water.
• There was clutter all over the clinic – broken equipment, dust, and debris.
• Narcotics were not handled properly. Medications were being drawn up in advance but not labeled with name of medication, date and time it was drawn up.
• The vaginal probe tip on the ultrasound machine was cracked and a black substance was observed on the inside of the tip.
• There was no fire extinguisher mounted on the wall and available for use.
• The facility failed to provide infection control training for the staff. The facility also failed to screen the staff for tuberculosis.
• Recovery room stretchers had ripped and torn plastic surfaces preventing them from being cleaned
• Staff did not properly sterilize the dilation and extraction instruments that were used from woman to woman
• The medical director, who is a doctor, did not understand the policy for biological testing for the sterilizer.
• Staff failed to maintain separation of contaminated and clean areas.
• Staff failed to screen minor patients for abuse and report to the state.
• The employee performing the ultrasounds was not properly trained or certified. House Bill 15 states that the ultrasound is to be performed by the physician 24 hours before the abortion procedure. The staff performing the ultrasound for gestational age was not a physician

We received a heavily redacted report for the Jan 2019 inspection of this facility. We are summarizing the violations we can read here, however, there are more that are unknown and we are unable to view them. 

• Rust, dust, and debris were visible on medical equipment that is in patient use.
• Patients were not provided with the name and telephone number of the hospital closest to their home in case of complications.
• Staff providing direct patient care were not CPR certified.
• Facility failed to post signage regarding human trafficking
• Facility failed to sanitize transvaginal ultrasound probes between patient use
• Use of expired sutures and syringes