Personal Injury Law

State Files Medical Malpractice Complaint against Doctor

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

A physician who practices out of an Endoscopy Center has been hit with a medical malpractice complaint by the state?s board of medical examiners. The former gastroenterologist faces four medical malpractice allegations relating to the care he was provided to patients. Officials believe that one of the patient?s hepatitis C was transmitted to seven others. Medical malpractice complaints have already been filed against the clinic?s majority owner as well, and their licenses have been suspended pending an investigation. The allegation is that it was the physician treating the source patient that led to the other patients acquiring hepatitis C later that day. Claims of medical malpractice against the doctor focused on treatment of not only that first patient, who underwent a colonoscopy, but on a patient the doctor treated later in the day. The medical board complained that the doctor failed to exercise proper skill and diligence and that he brought the reputation of the medical profession into disrepute. It is believed that the reuse of syringes in a manner that contaminated multiple vials of anesthesia used for more than one patient led to the transmission of hepatitis C. The state board is investigating whether this has contributed to a widespread outbreak of hepatitis C. To read the full story, click here.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on December 03, 2008 (boomark / email).