Posted on 11/27/2007 7:56:35 AM PST by laotzu
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island Hospital has been fined $50,000 and reprimanded by the state Department of Health after its third instance this year of a doctor performing brain surgery in the wrong side of a patient's head.
"We are extremely concerned about this continuing pattern," health department director David R. Gifford said in a statement Monday.
The hospital issued a statement saying it was re-evaluating its training and policies, providing more oversight, giving nursing staff the power to ensure procedures are followed, among other steps.
The most recent case happened Friday when the chief resident started operating on the wrong side of an 82-year-old patient's brain, the health department said. The patient was OK, the health department and hospital said.
In February, a different doctor performed neurosurgery on the wrong side of another patient's head, said Andrea Bagnall-Degos, a health department spokeswoman. That patient was also OK, she said.
In August, however, a patient died a few weeks after a third doctor operated on the wrong side of his brain. The death prompted the state to order the hospital to take a series of steps to ensure such a mistake would not happen again, including an independent review of its neurosurgery practices and better verification from doctors of surgery plans.
The hospital is owned by Lifespan, a not-for-profit corporation. It serves as a teaching hospital for Brown University.
That should not matter. The attending Dr. should have taken notes and there should be pages of notations on the surgery to be performed. When I had my knee replaced the Dr. came in just before surgery and placed a mark on my left leg. I can't believe that they don't do that with BRAIN surgery for crying out loud!
!ah, aH
Maybe the latipsoh will have to appoint a new tnediserp.
These are the kinds of cases where doctors SHOULD be sued into oblivion.
Our last Tnediserp was Jimmah Carter. He can never be known as a former President, he is forever a Tnediserp.
?won raelC
;^)
I was in for surgery in October. The surgeon told me before they took me in for preparation that they’re going to draw on my right leg and “do other silly things, but it’s necessary”. So the nurse and the anesthetist put magic marker indications and lines on my right leg and a sock on my left foot....it was kind of silly, but after reading this, I’m glad they did.
What they did to my right leg was painful enough but I’m glad they got it right.
I thought actually physically marking the patient was now required. I know last time I had surgery (before the new regs took effect) two or three different folks came in and confirmed which side would be cut upon. And in my case, the trauma was obvious.
My money says that they would not even be operating on an 82 yr old if there wawsn’t the endless amounts they could bill Medicare...
Maybe that's the problem. Many men are color blind.
“Remember 50% of all doctors were in the lower 1/2 of their class.”
You should also remember all of the much more capable students who didnt get into medical school because the emphasis on selecting individuals based on non-academic credentials. Hope you get one of those when you need it.
LOL
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