CHOMP is investigated by the state for two separate surgical incidents this year and last.

Two isolated “surgical safety incidents” that took place at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in 2024 and earlier this year sparked investigations by the California Department of Public Health, the Weekly has confirmed with officials at Montage Health, CHOMP’s parent nonprofit company.

The 2024 incident took place in the orthopedics department. The incident in 2025 took place in obstetrics and gynecology, according to Montage’s director of marketing and communications, Mindy Maschmeyer.

In an email sent to staff on July 11 obtained by the Weekly, Montage President and CEO Dr. Michael McDermott called the incidents a “serious matter,” adding that CHOMP was “not at risk of shutting down and remains fully operational.” McDermott took over as CEO in March.

“We are implementing a focused plan of correction to address the issues identified and to further strengthen our surgical safety protocols,” McDermott wrote. “These are not just corrective actions – they are preventative measures that reflect our deep commitment to learning, accountability and continuous improvement.”

What exactly happened during the two incidents is unknown. Maschmeyer cites federal privacy laws preventing the release of specific details. “What I can say is that these were unrelated events that, thankfully, did not cause permanent patient harm,” she says by email.

McDermott stressed that in 2024, CHOMP reported fewer than half the patient safety incidents compared to the statewide average, based on CDPH data. The statewide average for complaints/reported incidents was 44 per hospital; CHOMP’s number was 18. Eight of those were unsubstantiated by CDPH investigators, the rest were “substantiated without deficiencies,” meaning an event happened but regulations were followed.

Maschmeyer says that even though the events took place in two specific departments, the corrective actions are “system-wide and designed to improve both responsiveness and prevention…

“Our goal is not only to meet regulatory expectations, but to exceed them – ensuring the safest possible environment for our patients, staff and community.”

A CDPH spokesperson says they cannot comment on specific incidents or ongoing investigations. CHOMP’s license status has not been impacted, according to CDPH.

Maschmeyer says a quality assurance and quality improvement program used by the hospital – a federal requirement of all hospitals that care for Medicare and Medicaid patients – includes “systematic reviews of patient care, root cause analysis when harm occurs and continuous monitoring of performance indicators.”

In one example, CHOMP had reports of two deficiencies related to documentation of administering pain medication. “These findings were part of CDPH’s routine audits and not tied to any specific patient complaint or investigation,” Maschmeyer says, adding that hospital administrators addressed the issue by providing training to staff on accurate and timely documentation.