Petitioner: AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION
Respondent: WUESTHOFF MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, INC., D/B/A WUESTHOFF MEDICAL CENTER - MELBOURNE
Judges: DANIEL MANRY
Agency: Agency for Health Care Administration
Locations: Melbourne, Florida
Filed: Jun. 09, 2004
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, June 23, 2004.
Latest Update: Dec. 23, 2024
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STATE OF FLORIDA
AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION
AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE
ADMINISTRATION,
Petitioner,
vs. Case No. 2004004121
WUESTHOFF MEMORIAL
HOSPITAL, INC.,
d/b/a WUESTHOFF MEDICAL
CENTER- MELBOURNE,
Respondent.
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COMES NOW the AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION
(hereinafter “Agency”), by and through the undersigned counsel, and files this
Administrative Complaint against Wuesthoff Health System, Inc. d/b/a/ Wuesthoff
Medical Center- Melbourne (hereinafter “Respondent”), pursuant to Sections 120.569
and 120.57, Fla. Stat. (2003), and alleges:
NATURE OF THE ACTION
1. This is an action to impose an administrative fine pursuant to Rules 59E- .
2.024(1), (3)(b), and (5), and S9E-2.025(1){(a), Fla. Admin. Code (2003); and Section
408.08(2) Fla. Stat. (2003), and as a result of a violation of Section 408.061(4), Fla. Stat.
(2003); and Rule 59E-5.201, Fla. Admin. Code. (2003).
JURISDICTION
2. The Agency has jurisdiction over licensure and fines of the hospital
pursuant to Chapter 395, Fla. Stat. (2003), and Chapter 59A-3, Fla. Admin. Code. (2003).
VENUE
3. Venue shall be determined pursuant to Rule 28-106.207, Fla. Admin.
Code. (2003).
PARTIES
4. The Agency is the regulatory authority responsible for licensure and
enforcement of all applicable statutes and rules governing hospitals pursuant to Chapter
395, Florida Statutes (2003), and Chapter 59A-3, Fla. Admin. Code. (2003).
5. The Agency is the regulatory authority responsible for collecting and
enforcing the hospital reporting requirements as required in Chapter 408, Fla. Stat.
(2003), and Chapter 59A-3 Fla. Admin. Code. (2003).
6. Respondent is licensed as a hospital pursuant to Section 395.002(13), Fla.
Stat. (2003).
COUNT I
Respondent failed to file a complete and/or accurate prior year report in a timely
manner.
§ 408.061(4), Fla. Stat. (2003)
Fla. Admin. Code R. 59E-5.201 (2003)
7. The Agency realleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs (1)
through (6) as if fully set forth herein.
8. The Respondent failed to submit a complete and accurate Prior Year
Report for its 2003 fiscal year within 120 days subsequent to the end of the facilities
fiscal year pursuant to Section 408.061(4), Fla. Stat. (2003) and Rule 59E-5.201, Fla.
Admin. Code. (2003).
9. The Respondent failed to file a corrected Prior Year Report on the
extended due date of February 27, 2004, to meet statutory requirements.
10. | The Agency sent a deemed-not-filed notice of violation to the Respondent
on April 5, 2004, which specified the corrections needed to bring the report into
compliance with statutory and rule requirements, allowed ten (10) working days to
provide the Agency with the requested information, and gave notice that Respondent
would be subject to imposition of an administrative fine if the requested information was
not timely filed pursuant to Rule S9E-2.024(5), Fla. Admin. Code (2003), Violation of
Chapter 408, Fla. Stat. (2003) or Board Rules, which states in part:
(5) Prior to seeking to impose an administrative fine against an entity for the
violations described...the Agency will send a notice of violation to the entity by
certified mail, return receipt requested. If the entity corrects the violation within
10 working days of receipt of the notice, no violation will be deemed to have
occurred and no administrative fine will be sought or imposed. If the entity does
not correct the violation within that time, it shall be subject to imposition of an
administrative fine which will be calculated from the original due date of the
report or document.
11. The Respondent received the deemed-not-filed notice of violation on April
7, 2004.
12. Acopy of the notice of violation is attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and
incorporated herein by reference.
13. The Respondent failed to provide the Agency with the requested
information specified in the April 5, 2004 notice of violation within ten (10) working
days of receipt of the notice.
14. Asof the date of this Administrative Complaint, Respondent has failed to
appropriately file the report, resulting in a total of 97 days late, calculated pursuant to
Rule 59E-2.024(5), Fla. Adm. Code. (2003).
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15. Failure to provide an accurate and/or complete Prior Year Report in a
timely manner is a violation of Section 408.061(4), Fla. Stat. (2003) and Rule 59E-5.201,
Fla. Admin. Code (2003), which requires Respondent to file the Prior Year Report with
the Agency within 120 days subsequent to the end of its fiscal year.
16. Section 408.08(2), Fla. Stat. (2003), provides that any hospital which
refuses to file a report, fails to timely file a report, files a false report, or files an
incomplete report shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000 per day for each day
in violation, to be fixed, imposed, and collected by the Agency. Each day in violation
shall be considered a separate offense.
seek TemomRespondent's violations constitute a First Occurrence as déefihied in RITE rrr”
59E-2.025(1)(a), Fla. Admin. Code (2003), which results in a fine of $20.00 per day _,
starting on the original filing due date of January 28, 2004. This violation constitutes the
grounds for which the Agency imposes a fine in the minimum amount of $1,940.00 as of
the date of this Administrative Complaint pursuant to Sections Rule 59E-2.025 (1)(a),
Fla. Admin. Code. (2003).
18. The Agency may impose additional fines due to continued failure to
provide the report pursuant to Rule 59E-2.025 (1)(a), Fla. Admin. Code (2003) and
Section 408.08(2), Fla. Stat. (2003), which states each day is a separate violation.
CLAIM FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, State of Florida, Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency
requests the Court to order the following relief against the Respondent for continued
violation of Section 408.061(4), Fla. Stat. (2003) and Rule S9E-5.201, Fla. Admin. Code.
(2003), pursuant to Rules S9E-2.024(1), (3)(b) and (5), and 59E-2.025(1)(2), Fla. Admin.
Code (2003), and Section 408.08(2) Fla. Stat. (2003), finding:
(A) Make factual and legal findings in favor of the Agency on Counts I;
(B) Recommend administrative fines and fees to be imposed against the
Respondent as follows:
1. In the minimum amount of $1,940.00; and
2. Additional fines due to continued failure to file the 2003 Report as provided in
Rule 59E-2.025(1)(a), Fla. Admin. Code (2003); and
(C) All other general and equitable relief allowed by law.
“ee eneewenn Dated. onr thi nacoondday-o£ May 2
Respectfully submitted, /
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—_
Eric R. Bredeméyer, Senior Attorney
Florida Bar¥-D. 318442
Agency for Health Care Administration
2727 Mahan Drive, Bidg. 3, MSC#3
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Office: (850) 922-5873
Fax: (850) 413-9313