Mistreatment of three patients leads to doctor's probation

A California doctor has been placed on probation following an investigation of his treatment of three patients for what may amount to doctor malpractice. One of the three patients died following numerous surgeries. According to investigators, the doctor failed to properly evaluate the patient's condition during surgery and subsequently finalized the surgery without rectifying the patient's problems of leaking fluid in the gastrointestinal tract. The patient was subsequently transferred to another facility and underwent additional surgeries, but the initial mistakes could not be rectified, and ultimately proved fatal.

The doctor performed surgery on another patient whose lung had collapsed following his admission to the hospital with pneumonia. During surgery the doctor failed to locate the perforation that was allowing fluid and air to fill the patient's lungs. Subsequently, a surgeon at another hospital was able to rectify the problem in surgery.

The doctor also removed an incorrect body part from a pregnant patient, believing it to be her appendix. Then, due to complications from that surgery that gave rise to adhesions in the patient's body, the doctor performed another surgery, further placing the patient and fetus's safety at risk.

The doctor, who worked out of the Hi-Desert Medical Center campus, will be on probation for seven years following these complaints of negligence. He admitted his guilt before the California Medical Board, which agreed with the Board's Executive Director's suggested punishment of revocation of his medical license. However, the Board decided to ultimately suspend the revocation pending the doctor's successful completion of the probationary terms. The probation requires the doctor to provide notice to his patients that he is prohibited from performing 21 particular surgeries until successful completion of a training program and the Board's removal of his probation. Additionally, he must report to the Board and have a licensed physician monitor his medical practice.

Complaints filed by the injured patients and the husband of the deceased patient led to the investigation that resulted in this doctor's probation. It may be astonishing to some that such mistreatment and death occurred at the hands of a doctor, but thankfully those affected reported the mistreatment which will hopefully prevent future harm to others.

Source: hidesertstar.com, "State puts doctor on probation for negligence," Stacy Moore, May 22, 2015