Florida hospital under investigation for serious surgical errors

The Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, has been under fire in recent months after two citations for serious medical violations by a state agency. Now, the hospital is under federal investigation.

The federal inquiry, undertaken by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, began in earnest after a Florida state agency found the hospital failed to report two serious surgical errors. It is believed that the federal review is broader than the one recently completed by the state. A hospital spokesperson claims that the staff has been transparent throughout all investigations.

The issues with the hospital were made public in April. In both cases, surgical needles were left inside patients after procedures in the hospital’s Heart Institute. In one case, the patient was only three days old. The hospital staff claims to have taken steps to address these mistakes. The doctor involved in at least one of the procedures is not currently operating at the hospital. Additionally, the hospital’s Heart Institute has lowered the number of procedures performed there. The hospital is also referring the most complicated cases out to more specialized surgeons.

Medical errors can have a lasting impact on a patient. They frequently cause more serious injury or illness than what the patient was originally treated for. In this case, these surgical errors could be especially life-altering given the young age of the victims. A patient who has been injured due to a medical error may have a claim for damages against the doctor or the hospital. These damages may include medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. An attorney with experience in surgical errors may be able to help that patient recover monetary damages from the responsible doctor or hospital.