FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                    CONTACT: Ed Sitter
DATE: Thursday, January 31, 2019                                                                      PHONE: 419-535-5800 or 419-353-1977

Toledo, Ohio – In July of 2017, the Ohio Department of Health (ODOH) levied a $40,000 health & Safety fine against Capital Care Network (CCN) of Toledo. On October 10th the Ohio Department of Health released their Hearing Examiner’s findings which recommended a mere $3,000, a slap on the wrist, to be assessed. Finally the ODOH director released his decision to assess CCN a fine of $15,000.

“Today announcement by the ODOH on how much they were going to fine CCN for a patient safety violation (that occurred in July 2017) for failing to follow proper procedures in the transportation of a patient with complications resulting from her abortion. While it is only a $15,000 fine, it is much more significant than the slap on the wrist that the hearing judge recommended of just $3,000.” Said Ed Sitter, Executive Director of Foundation for Life. Sitter, went on to say. “Why is it when an abortion facility violates basic health and safety standards designed to protect women, they get a pass simply because its abortion.”
 
The ODOH fine against Capital Care Network (CCN) was based on the determination that a patient’s health and safety was put in danger. It was reported that this woman might have suffered from a perforated bowel from a botched abortion performed at this facility. The staff of CCN sent this woman, without any of her medical records, in the car of one of their employees. These actions by the abortion clinic staff put this woman's life at risk. With a case pending before the Ohio Supreme Court for failing to have a valid transfer agreement with a local hospital, CCN couldn’t afford the optics of an ambulance pulling out of their abortion mill.

It took over 12 months just to schedule an administrative hearing on the pending fine, now 4 months later we get this absolutely ridiculous recommendation by the Hearing Examiner. An inconsequential fine of $3000. The Health Department must reject this suggestion and enforce their original $40,000 fine. By doing so, our state health officials will be sending a clear message to all Independent Ambulatory Surgical Facilities that patient rights and protections will be put above indifference and defiance of prescribed safety procedures. When an abortion facility violates basic health and safety standards designed to protect women, they will not get a pass simply because its abortion.