The Service Employees International Union filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board last week, alleging Pomona (Calif.) Valley Hospital Medical Center was unlawfully trying to prevent workers from speaking out about potentially dangerous working conditions, reports Los Angeles Times.
Here are four things to know.
1. Six hospital workers claim management tried to keep them from talking about possible patient infections and unsafe working conditions by asking them to sign confidentiality agreements, according to the article. The workers had specifically expressed concerns that patients were being sickened by dirty conditions.
2. In response to the complaint, Pomona Valley Hospital said it views a strong culture of safety and quality as "an essential component of Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center's commitment to our patients and our associates."
The hospital went on to explain that following employee patient safety concerns expressed in the media, the Joint Commission requested that the hospital conduct performance improvement interviews with the employees, as part of developing a performance improvement action plan.
"PVHMC's quality management team provided the associates ...voluntary confidentiality agreements to feel secure in speaking freely about any patient safety concerns they might have," the hospital said. "The associates were not required to sign the voluntary confidentiality agreements, they were simply offered as additional assurance to eliminate any perceived fear of retribution from sharing concerns."
The hospital added, "The confidentiality agreement was strictly for the purpose of the performance improvement interviews to address their concerns as part of the Joint Commission’s request for a performance improvement action plan."
3. Last month, the union released a report that notes the hospital scored below the national benchmark for patients acquiring Clostridium difficile. In 2015, the hospital had 97 cases of C. diff and nine cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, both figures falling below the benchmark, CMS' Hospital Compare shows.
4. The report alleged the hospital fails to train environmental services and other staff members on proper procedures to prevent certain bacterial infections, while hospital officials claim adequate training is provided.