When routine isn’t so routine

Another nightmare case where a supposedly routine surgery ends with the death of a patient and everyone throw up their hands in surprise. In this case the patient went in for a double knee replacement surgery at Stanford University Medical Center. Yes, THAT Stanford Medical Center, the one with a stellar reputation.

The patient died of a bowel obstruction after complaining of pain for 24 hours. The patient’s husband and daughter requested that a doctor examine her. Nurses called doctors, but no doctors checked on the patient (it was a weekend). The patient’s condition worsened to the point where she had no pulse, and she was taken to the emergency room. By then it was too late. She went into shock and died.

The patient’s son, a physician, requested copies of the medical records, but Stanford seemed unwilling to cooperate. The hospital then deleted sections of the patient’s medical records and also had a nurse add notes to the files a week after the death.

The family of the patient has filed a lawsuit against the hospital. The family contends the hospital was trying to cover their errors by deleting portions of the patient’s files. The hospital insists that deleted portions were not relevant and were simply “temporary notes.” The hospital denies any wrongdoing and stands by the care the patient received.

For additional information, see this article in the San Francisco Chronicle.

This was posted on Monday, August 10th, 2009 and is filed in the Legal, Patient Care, Patient Death categories.