When a loved becomes ill and needs to go to the hospital for care, one typically trusts that the medical staff at the hospital will do their best to deliver the highest level of care possible. At an Ohio hospital where 25 people recently died, that does not appear to have been the case. A doctor who has been charged with murder may be guilty of medical malpractice.
The patients were found to have received lethal doses of pain medication after an investigation into the suspicious deaths of several patients at the hospital. In addition to the doctor who has come under suspicion, 23 additional employees were let go due to their possible involvement in the patient deaths. The employees let go included nurses, doctors and pharmacy staff. In addition, the CEO announced his resignation.
The doctor who is facing murder charges could face 15 years to life for each patient death if he is convicted. The patients were predominantly elderly and in poor health. The doctor at the root of the scandal has denied that he intended to inflict any harm.
The elderly population is the fastest growing population in Ohio and around the country. As people age, they are more likely to require medical care. Hospitals are entrusted to deliver that care. Death cannot be avoided, but as long as there is life, a person has a right to receive the best medical care possible. A person who feels a loved one may not have received acceptable care may wish to consult with a personal injury attorney to help determine if a case for medical malpractice exists.