A California hospital has voluntarily postponed its entire slate of elective surgeries and its accreditation is under review after 4 orthopedic surgery patients developed post-op infections.

Citing an "immediate threat to health or safety to patients or the public," the Joint Commission issued a preliminary denial of Mission Hospital's accreditation.

The action followed an accreditation survey's finding that 4 patients undergoing different types of orthopedic procedures, but in the same OR, suffered similar surgical site infections.

The hospital has launched an investigation of its infection prevention protocols. "Surgical infections are extremely rare," said James Keany, the hospital's associate director of emergency services. "When we saw the cluster we stood up and took notice."

Mission Hospital's combined 14 ORs at facilities in Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach see 7,000 surgeries annually, 70% of which are elective. The hospital, which includes a regional trauma center, will continue to see emergency cases.

The Joint Commission's denial decision is open to appeal before it makes an accreditation determination.

David Bernard