Kaiser Suspends Kidney Transplant Program

ALAMEDA, Calif. – Kaiser Permanente suspended its kidney transplant program in northern California on Friday, following accusations that patients’ lives were endangered by botched paperwork and administrative errors.

Problems with the program arose when Kaiser ordered Northern California kidney patients to transfer from University of California hospitals to its new transplant center in 2004.

Kaiser failed to discuss with regulators the transfer of up to 1,500 patients to the new center, delaying some patients’ procedures, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The program is under state and federal investigation. A Kaiser official apologized this week and offered to let patients transfer to UC hospitals in San Francisco and Davis.

On Thursday, three lawsuits were filed against Oakland-based Kaiser, the nation’s largest not-for-profit health maintenance organization.

One plaintiff, Ella Haynes, said her husband, Ronald, died last year after Kaiser bungled his paperwork, effectively removing him from consideration for a kidney. A second, Darlis Beale, said she became more ill as the HMO delayed her transplant. The third, Phillip Maxson, said his Kaiser doctor told him three times to travel to the Philippines to get a kidney, rather than waiting for Kaiser.

Kaiser spokesman Matthew Schiffgens said the HMO hadn’t reviewed the lawsuits. The cases were filed in Alameda County Superior Court.