Hospital negligence leads to more harm by nuerosurgeon

When it comes to personal health and wellness, few individuals are given more trust than doctors. For many New York residents, hospitals and doctors and their supporting staff are the catalyst to continued health and well-being. Unfortunately, not all doctors or hospitals operate in a way that is deserving of that trust. Hospitals that continue to employ doctors who do not conduct themselves in ways that honor their oaths and responsibilities to their patients may find themselves facing hospital negligence suits.

A hospital system is facing a federal lawsuit claiming hospital negligence because the hospital system did not take measures to prevent a neurosurgeon from doing more harm after numerous warnings about his competence. The suit claims that the hospital system kept the doctor employed for months, despite numerous flawed spinal procedures, until one of his patients died. The suit further claims that the hospital system provided the surgeon with references to procure employment elsewhere after they ended their direct association. The lawsuit states that the surgeon in question has faced allegations in the past of drug and alcohol use. The suit claims that the hospital was negligent because it failed to monitor or account for repeated warnings about the surgeon's drug and alcohol use and incompetence.

Additionally, the suit claims that the Texas hospital system recruited the doctor to help them obtain profits. It says the system funded his practice at a spinal institute and encouraged referrals from other doctors. One of the institute owners made accusations against the surgeon, which included drug use, and terminated his position. However, he continued working at the hospital and, although he was asked to submit to drug testing, he apparently dodged testing. The suit claims all of this was known by the hospital system, but nothing was done to prevent the additional harm this doctor caused to patients.

Hospital negligence is a serious accusation. As the governing body of the very doctors who care for sick, injured or ailing patients, it is the hospital's duty to ensure that patients are treated with the care and proficiency that they deserve. The patient-doctor relationship is one based on trust. Should a New York patient feel that he or she is a victim of an abuse of that trust, whether it be from the doctor or the hospital, he or she may be able to file a hospital negligence claim.

Source: The Dallas Morning News, Federal suit: Baylor failed to stop cocaine-using surgeon from harming patients, Miles Moffeit, 01/30/2014