Page 61 - Hospitalists - Risks When You're the Doctor in the House (Part One)

SVMIC Hospitalists - Risks When You’re the Doctor in the House

not documented by Dr. Kerr in the medical record. He

did, however, order a mild sedative to be given to the
patient to “take the edge off” as he assumed Mr. Miller

was experiencing alcohol withdrawal.

Over the course of the next few days, Mr. Miller’s abnormal
behavior grew worse as reported by the nurses, and Dr.

Kerr increased the dosage of the sedative. Dr. Kerr did not
order any tests or consult anyone else as he was confident

in his diagnosis. It should be noted that the surgeon who
operated on Mr. Miller had gone on vacation immediately

afterward, and Dr. Kerr was the sole physician who
rounded on Mr. Miller.

Approximately nine days post-op, Mr. Miller began
hallucinating. The nurses documented in the medical record

that Mr. Miller claimed he was seeing his grandmother
“sitting on her front porch” in his hospital room. The night

nurse on duty called Dr. Kerr at approximately 2 a.m. and
reported this development to him. He did not come in to

see the patient but ordered the nurse to give an additional
dose of the sedative. Again, no tests were ordered. The

nurse noted in the record that she asked Dr. Kerr to come
in to see the patient, but he refused.

Finally, on the tenth day, the patient coded. He was revived

and bloodwork – which had been ordered for the first time
– showed sugar levels in excess of 800 mg/dl. Mr. Miller

was an undiagnosed diabetic. The patient subsequently
coded again and expired.

A lawsuit was filed by the patient’s wife, who denied ever
telling Dr. Kerr her husband drank two six packs per day.

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