Florida Probes Tenet Hospital

New complaints against Tenet Healthcare (THC Quote) carry a familiar ring.

The Florida Department of Children and Families has cracked down on the psychiatric unit of Florida Medical Center, a Tenet-owned facility in Lauderdale Lakes, for improperly admitting patients -- particularly the elderly -- against their will. In a letter sent to the hospital Monday and obtained by TheStreet.com, the agency officially barred the unit from future involuntary admissions. The department said it was investigating the hospital for Medicare and Medicaid fraud, violation of patient rights and "unacceptable clinical practices."

Neither Tenet nor Florida Medical Center immediately returned telephone calls Tuesday seeking comment. But hospital spokeswoman Sue Baron told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel the hospital is cooperating and plans to seek reinstatement of involuntary psychiatric admissions when the problems are corrected. ...