The only public hospital in South Los Angeles has lost its accreditation, meaning it also could lose its ability to train doctors and care for emergency psychiatric and low-income patients. Martin Luther King/Drew Medical Center in South Los Angeles lost the approval Tuesday after the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations denied a final appeal by Los Angeles County to halt the withdrawal. The accrediting agency decided in September that the hospital did not meet its standards. The commission repealed its accreditation after an August inspection that found incompetent staff, inconsistent patient care, incomplete medical charts and other problems.
