CRNA wearing white coat administers fatal treatment
Key Takeaways
Industry Insights
“The problem is largely marketing to patients that they are receiving equivalent care when they see a non-physician practitioner.” –Sulagna Misra, MD, BCMAS, Founding Physician at Misra Wellness
A Texas woman died after receiving injections administered by a CRNA.[] Kimberly Ray’s 2021 rhizotomy procedure was intended to treat lower lumbar pain linked to an old injury. She received anesthesia during her procedure and never regained consciousness. She was 42 years old.
When a CRNA kills a patient, it is the physician who gets held responsible & sued. Until CRNAs are ready to stop playing pretend and actually take full responsibility for the consequences of practicing with 1/4th of the training, they don’t get to use the term anesthesiologist
— Cookie Monster 🍪 (@Co0kieM0nster4) January 27, 2020
Ray underwent the procedure at Integrity Wellness, now Cedarwood Surgical Center. Her family sued the medical facility after an autopsy found that she had died as a “result of complications following injection procedure for pain.”[] An investigation of the incident found that a CRNA, Scott Houghton, administered Ray’s anesthesia for the procedure. Houghton wore a white coat or scrubs, and the family reportedly believed that he was a physician.
How common is this type of incident?
This type of confusion is common. In recent years, the number of CRNAs and NPs has increased. Patients and families are often unclear about what treatments these professionals can provide and the differences between their licenses vs those of physicians.
Sulagna Misra, MD, BCMAS, Founding Physician at Misra Wellness says, “The problem is largely marketing to patients that they are receiving equivalent care when they see a non-physician practitioner. This movement includes pushes for these practitioners to use the word ‘doctor’ or ‘physician’ in [their] titles while wearing a long white coat. This further confuses patients and allows for this medical fraud to continue.”
“The problem is largely marketing to patients that they are receiving equivalent care when they see a non-physician practitioner.” –Sulagna Misra, MD, BCMAS, Founding Physician at Misra Wellness
A medical expert who reviewed the case stated that Ray’s heart may have stopped because Houghton administered anesthesia in a way that caused “muscle paralysis that would prevent the recipient from breathing.”[] Houghton has denied this.
What happened in this incident?
Another CRNA, Mauro Molina, was also reportedly present during the procedure. Molina failed to notice that Ray was not breathing and had no pulse until the procedure was finished. Ray was rushed to the nearby Medical City Las Colinas Hospital. A paramedic who transported Ray testified that she was not breathing when EMS arrived. Paramedics on the scene referred to Integrity Wellness as “chaotic and unorganized.”[]
Paramedics were able to restart Ray’s heart; however, she subsequently experienced constant seizures and failed to regain consciousness. Two days later, Ray’s family was informed that she would not recover. The family withdrew Ray’s life support.
While former colleagues at another medical facility in Texas had reportedly been alarmed by Molina’s behavior in the workplace in 2019, Molina’s records do not indicate that he has ever faced any disciplinary action or complaints. No one at Integrity Wellness has been found liable for Ray’s death.