A Florida-based physician is facing disciplinary probation and possible action after a colonoscopy went horribly wrong. Florida health officials say that the doctor performed a colonoscopy while a patient was not fully sedated, and because he was not wearing his hearing aids, he couldn’t hear his patient scream for help.
The Florida Board of Medicine filed the documents this month to ensure that the doctor in question faces the proper punishment after the causing harm to a patient.
The Incident
The doctor, Ishwari Prasad, has been accused of not stopping a colonoscopy when a patient started yelling and screaming for help during a routine procedure.
According to an administrative complaint filed by the state health department, the colonoscopy occurred on June 5, 2023, at a surgery center in Tampa.
Other Complaints Filed
There were multiple complaints issued against the doctor from the clinic.
On the same day, the doctor needed to outsource part of a procedure to a surgical tech who was not a licensed physician.
Forgetful or Negligent
The doctor claims that he was not using his assistive hearing devices to communicate with his surgical team on that particular day.
For the same reason, Prasad could not hear the complaints from his patients during the routine procedures that he was meant to be performing.
Medical Malpractice
The complaint filed in October accuses Prasad of two counts of medical malpractice.
When patients feel that a doctor has either caused harm intentionally or not done something in their power to help a patient, they can file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Standards of Care
The minimum standard of care in these types of delicate or sensitive procedures say that a doctor must immediately stop performing a colonoscopy if a patient is not fully sedated.
Sedation is necessary to stop any pain or discomfort and make sure that the patient can sit still during the procedure.
The Doctor Has Been Fined
According to a settlement through court documents, Prasad was fined $7,500 and was not allowed to perform any more gastroenterology procedures.
The statement also says that Prasad did not confirm or deny the allegations.
Dr. Prasad’s History
According to Health Department records, Dr. Prasad started his medical practice in the early 1980s in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
He specialized in gastroenterology and internal medicine he was soon licensed in Florida in the 1990s and stayed there ever since.
How Common Is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice is a very common ocurrence. In the United States, all doctors are required to carry active malpractice insurance.
In many cases, patients can sue for malpractice or wrongdoing, even if the doctor had the best intentions. Medical errors can be caused by normal human mistakes. However, often times, malpractice is caused by negligence.
Medical Errors Cause Deaths All the Time
In the United States, medical errors account for 9.5% of all deaths. This makes it the leading cause of death every year in hospitals.
Some medical errors can be more serious than others. During a surgery, a small mistake can easily lead to a death.
Colonoscopies
A colonoscopy can often be extremely painful and uncomfortable. For this reason, most patients prefer to be completely sedated during the procedure.
In a doctor’s office, outpatient anesthesia is offered. This way, the patient can be put to sleep for a short period of time and then woken up with minimal grogginess.
Patients Speaking Up For Themselves
In this case, and many others, it shows the importance of patients speaking up for themselves when they think that something might be off with their doctor or the procedure.
Unfortunately, doctors are humans who made grave errors all the time. If something seems wrong or inappropriate, be sure to speak up as quickly as possible so that you or someone else is not subjected to medical malpractice.
