Abortion
UFI Gains Access to New Jersey State Agency Report that Resulted in Abortion Clinic Closure
By Dennis Durband, UFI's Director of Publications
January 22, 2008
It's often said that the abortion industry is under-regulated. Former abortion clinic employees have described some appalling and filthy conditions inside the centers. Their reports to the outside world describe abortion centers that are anything but clean and sanitary.
Last summer, the State of New Jersey forced an abortion clinic to close down for violation of numerous regulations. The Alternatives abortion clinic, located in Atlantic City, was closed after an inspection by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services' Division of Health Care Quality and Oversight. Stemming from an anonymous complaint, the investigation resulted in a 104-page summary of deficiencies. The clinic elected not to challenge the state report and therefore was unable to remain in business.
United Families International learned that the state report was not published on the agency's website. So we filed a “Government Records Request” to obtain the state's 104-page report. The sheer number and the nature of the violations are amazing. We want the world to know just how calloused Alternatives was toward state and federal regulations and many of its' own written policies and procedures. Such state agency reports are not generally found on the Internet, so we have posted a report online to let the world know about the many violations that occurred at this particular abortion clinic.
It appears that compliance with any sort of protocol or quality control was sacrificed at the altar of expediency and profit-making. The management and administrators at Alternatives blatantly thumbed their noses at rules, regulations, laws, policies and procedures. Our online list of Alternatives' violations is lengthy, but it is important to get it onto the Worldwide Web so that it will be diffused far and wide. This report is a startling portrait of the abortion industry that the citizens of the world need to see.
Was Alternatives a typical abortion clinic? We have no way of knowing. However, women contemplating an abortion need to have this kind of information available to them to determine how much of their personal safety they are willing to risk. There is much more information about the harms of abortion available in our “Guide to Family Issues: Abortion.”
Here is a synopsis of the New Jersey agency report. The state inspection at Alternatives took place in June of 2007.
Summary of Deficiencies: Alternatives
Many of the Alternatives violations centered on unsanitary conditions. Others revolved around an aversion to policies and procedures, refusal by management to maintain accountability for supervision, leadership and compliance with laws and procedures. Inspectors found again and again that shortcuts had been taken and that clinic management had thrown to the wind any pretense of providing sanitary conditions to patients. Equipment was not maintained, facilities ad resources were not used responsibly and dozens of standards were ignored. Communication between administration, the medical director and staff was inadequate.
In the years 2006 and 2007, the clinic experienced five major complications and 37 minor complications. There is no evidence that the M.D. and administrator were notified of the complications, as required by law. Staff member #4 stated that the administrators were not even aware of the existence of a complications log. The inspectors heard a long litany of admissions of clinic failures by the employees they interviewed.
The clinic did not make proper accommodations for infection prevention and control services, surgical and anesthesia services, a quality assurance program, pharmaceutical services, medical services, nursing services, physical plant and functional requirements, emergency services and disaster plans and housekeeping, sanitation and safety.
Administrators and subordinates lacked the proper training and accreditation required for their respective positions. Alternatives failed to assure that a physician director was board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialists. Employees lacking proper credentials had performed surgeries on unsuspecting patients. Physicians did not scrub for procedures. A staff member told inspectors, “ Abortions aren't really surgery, they aren't sterile procedures.”
A whole host of violations involved drugs. The facility failed to assure the documenting and reviewing of adverse drug reactions and medication errors. Improper drug handling was evident. Drug inventories were not conducted properly or regularly. Drugs were not stored properly. Drugs and syringes were not identified and labeled. Employees routinely took drugs in and out of the clinic. Medications were not dispensed in accordance with state law. Proper record keeping was virtually nonexistent.
There was no nurses' station. Patient care was sorely lacking. Patients had no privacy in recovery rooms.
Also lacking were:
- plans to handle emergencies;
- patient monitoring;
- a drug distribution station equipped with a work counter, sink, refrigerator and locked storage for biological materials as required;
- a soiled holding room or closet for collection of, storage and disposal of soiled materials; and
- reliable equipment.
Anesthesia machines were not covered up to prevent contamination. Procedure tables and table pads were soiled and/or stained; arm board pads were torn, there were accumulations of rust and dirt on moving machine parts and dried blood under leg pads.
Nurses' licenses had expired, and nurses were not always present in the facility. There was no social worker on staff.
The State of New Jersey also drew criticism when it was reported that state agencies were not keeping up with inspections, confirming complaints that the abortion industry is under-regulated.
See the full report for a complete list of violations.
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