Doc disciplined after failing to hear patient screams during colonoscopy
Key Takeaways
A gastroenterologist was accused of failing to recognize a patient in distress during a colonoscopy because he couldn’t hear the patient’s screams.
Despite four decades of experience, this mistake cost him his career and reputation.
Even seasoned providers can be tempted to take shortcuts that lead to devastating effects.
Doctors must rely on all five (or six) senses when providing medical care, especially when performing an invasive procedure. Unfortunately, even the most seasoned providers can become complacent, skipping crucial steps and ultimately facing significant consequences.
One recent story about a gastroenterologist in Florida serves as a critical reminder to all physicians about the dangers of cutting corners.
What allegedly went down
Dr. Ishwari Prasad is a hearing-impaired gastroenterologist accused of not wearing his hearing aids when doing colonoscopies on two patients in June 2023 at Tampa’s Ambulatory Surgery Center.
Dr. Prasad was said to ignore a screaming patient who awoke during one of the procedures. The complaint states that he didn’t wait for the patient to be fully sedated before inserting the scope and failed to respond promptly to alerts from the patient or his team.[]
Unfortunately, surgical team members weren’t able to communicate with Dr. Prasad during the incident because he couldn’t hear them. As a result, he didn’t stop the colonoscopy immediately, causing the patient unnecessary pain and distress. Dr. Prasad is also accused of having an unlicensed surgical tech insert and manipulate the scope and remove polyps in another procedure performed on the same day.[]
Dr. Prasad began practicing in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey during the early 1980s, receiving his Florida license in 1990. He had no prior history of being disciplined by the Florida Board of Medicine before this event.[][]
Legal and professional ramifications
In August 2024, Dr. Prasad was placed on probation and banned from doing procedures independently without clearance from a state-approved supervising doctor.[] At first, he contested the accusations with his lawyer and maintained that these claims against him were false.
However, later reports show that a settlement was reached where Dr. Prasad didn’t deny or admit fault. He was charged a $7,500 fine and prohibited from doing any gastroenterology procedures.[][]
The cost of medical errors
Dr. Prasad’s story isn't unique—medical errors take a significant toll on the healthcare system and individual patients and providers each year.
Experts estimate that infections alone caused by medical errors cost the healthcare industry between $20 billion and $45 billion each year.[] About 400,000 hospitalized patients face preventable harm, and over 200,000 patients are killed by medical errors annually.
Medical errors are being recognized as a serious public health issue and are now considered the third leading cause of death in the US.[]
When mistakes happen in healthcare, they don’t just affect the patient. Patient’s families, the providers, and the surrounding community may all experience significant psychological impacts as a result of actual or perceived errors.
The most common types of medical errors include:[]
Communication issues
Diagnostic mistakes
Equipment failures
Hospital-acquired infections
Medication-related errors
Patient falls
Surgical mistakes
While it may be impossible to eliminate all human error in medicine, improvements can be made. Understanding past mistakes and optimizing equipment and communication systems could help reduce the number of preventable mistakes. In addition, avoiding provider burnout by managing workloads and timing expectations is essential for safe medical practice. All members of the team are responsible for bringing awareness to existing deficiencies and helping avoid medical errors.
What this means for you
A gastroenterologist failed to put in his hearing aids one morning, and has now been fined and placed on probation by the Florida Board of Medicine. During a routine colonoscopy, Dr. Prasad allegedly carried out the procedure despite his patient being awake and screaming in pain. Clinicians can take stories like Dr. Prasad’s as a warning to stay vigilant in providing high-quality care, no matter how long you’ve been practicing.