How are hospital administrators accountable in medical negligence cases? While physicians and nurses deliver healthcare directly to patients, the hospital’s leadership is responsible for implementing the policies and procedures that keep patients safe. In addition to state and federal regulatory compliance and patients’ rights, hospital administration is responsible for:
- Physician credentialing
- Medication and diagnostic errors
- Medical/Surgical floor policies and procedures
- Training, supervision, and oversight of physicians, nurses, employees, residents, and students
In a recent Eighth District Court of Nevada-Clark County case, Summerlin Hospital patient Elisa Sales sued the hospital after an internal pacemaker and defibrillator replacement resulted in the loss of oxygen to her brain for nine minutes. Plaintiffs stated that she now has the mental capacity of a five-year-old. Sales suffered a severe drop in blood pressure followed by cardiac arrest during the procedure. Plaintiff’s attorney argued that her blood pressure dropped because of 1) being given too much of the sedative Propofol, and 2) doctors failed to begin CPR soon enough because the audible alarms on the vital sign monitors were turned off.
Plaintiff’s attorney argued that Summerlin Hospital is responsible both for the failure to adequately train its staff in emergency resuscitation and for failing to ensure the audible alarms on the vital sign monitors were turned on. He stated to the jury that Summerlin’s policies definitely show that CPR should have started sooner for Sales and explained that hospital guidelines are based on the patient’s vitals dropping below a certain threshold.
The defendant’s legal team argued that Summerlin Hospital’s treatment met the medical standard of care. Defendant’s attorney rejected the claim that Sales suffered a hypoxic brain injury due to lack of oxygen during the procedure and instead argued that years of heart disease and diabetes caused her condition.
Hospital administration litigation is complex. Securing an experienced hospital administration expert witness from a leading medical center will be an invaluable resource in your case. Contact Elite Medical Experts and speak with a physician or nurse on Elite’s experienced Case Strategy Team today to be connected with the expert best suited to the fact pattern in your case.
