“Never Events are egregious and they truly should never happen, but at the very least if they do happen, we expect hospitals to take the most humane and ethical approach,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of Leapfrog. “Unfortunately, many hospitals still won’t commit to doing the right thing, including apologizing to the patient or family and not charging for the event. We should see 100% of hospitals with the Leapfrog policy.”
As reported here May 5, Sharp Grossmont Hospital’s goal was to catch whoever was taking sedatives from anesthesia carts and work to curtail their license. But former chief of anesthesiology Dr. Patrick Sullivan, said in his screed — in so many words — that Sharp’s operation was outrageously, morally and ethically bereft.
Senate Nixes Bill Requiring Disclosures From Disciplined Doctors
The state Senate this week rejected legislation that would have required medical practitioners to notify their patients if they were on probation for serious infractions. The bill’s supporters said consumers were ill-served by the Senate’s decision.
“Today’s vote means that most Californians will remain in the dark when their doctor is on probation for offenses that could jeopardize their health,” said Lisa McGiffert, manager of the Safe Patient Project at Consumers Union.
Opponents of the bill, including the California Medical Association, had argued that, as written, it would undermine physicians’ rights to due process and amount to a de facto suspension by severely restricting their ability to practice. They also noted that information about doctors’ offenses is already available on the internet.
Public debate in the 1990s over drugs’ clinical toxicity has given way to concerns about their financial toxicity. Although drug regulators aren’t supposed to be concerned with pricing, they’ve been drawn into an acrimonious debate over the cost of medicines.
Study findings may drive efforts to curb improper prescription practices.
New report finds prevalence of 5% drug-resistant bacteria in District.
Researchers estimate more than 250K deaths a year caused by medical mistakes.
HENRY KOTULA 