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Cedars-Sinai mishap endangers Dennis Quaid's newborn twins
By Stone Martindale Nov 20, 2007, 19:49 GMT
Dennis Quaid - Los Angeles, CA © Glenn Harris / Photorazzi
Dennis Quaid's newborn twins are reported in a medical nightmare, as TMZ.com writes that Quaid's babies are fighting for their lives after being inadvertently overdosed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Sources tell TMZ.com that Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace were accidentally given a massive does of Heparin, an anti-coagulant.
Babies typically get 10 units. TMZ's sources says they were each mistakenly given 10,000 units.
TMZ reports that the drug is used to flush out IV lines and prevent clots.
TMZ reports that one dose was given on Sunday morning, another on Sunday evening, and on Sunday night both babies started to "bleed out."
Both babies are now stable at Cedars in the neo-natal intensive care unit.
The twins were born to Quaid and wife Kimberly Buffington on November 8 via a surrogate mother.
TMZ reports the babies are now being given Protamine, which reverses the effects of Heparin.
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Older Talkback
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This is very sad. It is very unfortunate that you Cannot sue for medical malpractice in California. There is a cap of 250,000 on these cases and not worth any attorneys time. Most attorneys will not take the case and state a conflict of interest, probably because they are paid by / or on Cedars payroll. If your case is heard it will only be heard by a medical board assembled by Cedars and not a regular jury. Its a terrible law that has been in place since the 70's and it needs to be changed. Doctors basically can get away with murder several times over without any repercussions. My heart goes out to Dennis and his family, and anyone else who has suffered at the hands of Cedars Sinai ( myself included)
It's sad to see that there is so much anger against the medical profession. Mistakes occur all the time. Hopefully the investigations by the state, the Joint Commission and others, and particularly Cedars' own internal quality services will prevent such actions from occurring again. Decimal errors are common -- unfortunately. This was cited in the Institute of Medicine report and many times thereafter. We don't know how it happened, but hopefully we will know so that other hospitals and healthcare systems can learn from those mistakes.
By the way, California law does allow one to sue for damages. There is a cap on other damages as part of MICRA -- frankly although some may think that limits are unfair (not on actual damages, but pain and suffering), that's what has kept doctors still practicing in California and kept malpractice premiums (that all patients pay in the end) at a somewhat reasonable rate.
All that said, this is yet another opportunity for hospitals and health systems to reexamine their quality systems.
Decimal errors shouldn't be common if the numbers are looked at and verified properly, and why wouldn't a medical professional know the amount of the proper dosage??
There is an incredible difference between 10 and l0,000 units, and if a medical personnel wouldn't realize this, they shouldn't be employed in that capacity!!!
The real tragedy here is that virtually the same error occurred late last year in an Indiana hospital. Six noenates were inadvertently administered the concentrated 10,000 units/mL strength of heparin instead of the intended 10 units/mL. Sadly, three of these neonates ended up dying. The Institute of Medicine estimnated several years ago that nearly 100,000 U.S. patients die annually due to medical errors. This is the equivalent of deaths that would be caused by a jumbo jet aircraft crashing every other day - can you imagine what sorts of safety campaigns and political initiatives would result if that were to happen. We can and we must learn the root causes for such tragic errors and work to systematically improve the processes that govern our health care. We should also resist the tempatation to assess blame solely or even mostly on the individuals that are involved in these errors and instead correct the system workflow and processes that enable the mistakes.
My heart goes out to Dennis Quaid and his family. And to Kanye West and his family. These are two unfortunate examples of why it is so important to end the Cancer of private for profit health care delivery in America. HR 676 Single Payer Universal Health Care (Medicare For All) is The Way to go. Like all other developed countries did years ago. See sickocure.org
You see, It's not just about the 47 million Americans that have no insurance. Or the 89 million who went without insurance part of the time from 2006-2007. It's about everyone. Private for profit health care delivery is not only highly immoral, and unethical. It is just down right dangerous, and bad medicine. That injures, and kills millions of Americans needlessly. Disgracefully. Shamefully.
These injuries, and deaths should not have happened. We only heard about them because it happened to celebrities. But these tragedies are happening to thousands of Americans every day in this country. But you don't hear about it. These thousands of needless deaths, and injuries of your loved ones are covered up. Under so-called patient confidentiality. Which is just health care industry speak for 'don't tell anybody we injured, or killed another one'.
See, no one is immune from the Cancer of private for profit health care delivery. Mr. Quaid's children were being cared for at a very renowned hospital. And I am sure Mr. Quaid probably has excellent insurance. And can afford the finest medical care available. But as it turned out. None of that mattered. Hospitals have always been potentially very dangerous places. But under the pressures of greed, and a rush to profit. All US hospitals have become extremely dangerous, deadly places. Like they were in the 18th century. When hospitals were primarily the place you went to DIE!
I don't know exactly how this tragedy to Mr. Quaid's babies happened. But I imagine it was the same scenario that plays out thousands of times every day across America. Driven by greed, and the profit motive hospitals cut corners as much as they can get away with. This means staff that is over worked. And under staffed. It means hiring the least experienced, and cheapest hospital staff you can get. And pushing out the more experienced safer higher paid staff.
They say the pharmacist stocked the wrong meds. And that the hospitals were warned about this problem months ago. After many other perfectly healthy new born babies were killed by this mistake. I wonder how many thousands of perfectly healthy babies were killed this way across America. And how many thousands are still being killed this way across America.
It should not have mattered what concentration of heparin the pharmacist stocked the medicine cabinets with. Because every one who administers drugs is supposed to have been taught to follow the (7 R's).
a. Right drug,
b. Right patient,
c. Right dose,
d. Right time,
e. Right route,
f. Right reason,
g. Right documentation,
This is just basic practice. A experienced person will check additional things. Before giving a patient a potentially deadly drug.
In anticipation of coming changes in our health care system. Thousands of patients are being killed at a fevered pitch. And millions injured, and poisoned with unnecessary medications, medical procedures, and surgery's. In an orgy of greed, and profiteering a head of proposed changes to our current disgraceful health care system.
HR. 676 Single Payer Universal National Health Care For All (Medicare For All) can fix this disgrace. Until then, I advise you to be careful of taking any recommended medical care at this time without doing your home work. And getting a good independent 2nd, or 3rd opinion. Especially if you have so-called good insurance coverage.
And If you have to receive medical care in, or out of a hospital. Try to have a knowledgeable family member or friend to keep an eye on what they are doing to you.
Good Luck...
As a respiratory therapist having worked in large facilities, I have to ask others, 'How many mistakes do you make on the job? Does what you do for a living matter? How many lives have you potentionally saved in 2007?'
I hope your answer is honest. People who work in the health care industry never want to hurt someone. Does this seem like an aggregious mistake--yes. Should this person be punished/receive scrutiny and be watched carefully--yes.
Many people criticize the health care industry but rarely understand what it takes to perform in the stress levels with momentous expectations EVERY day. Just because our mistakes are grander on the scale of things, doesn't mean that we won't ever make mistakes. Try working the ungodly shifts and hours that we do then ask yourself are healthcare workers doing the best they can? The likely answer is yes.
Wouldn't it be great if you, your friends, and family all volunteered at:
Nursing home
Hospital
Children's Hospital
Blood bank
Hospice Center
Put your concern where your mouth is...
Your post sounds like a confession - please feel free to take up knitting or some other profession that would be better suited to your low tolerance for stress Whaaaaa!
If it isn't obvious, let me tell. 'You have come to the wrong place my friend, you'll find no sympathy here.'
Or are you another one of those folks that doesn't quite understand what they've read. 10 ? 10,000? that's pretty much the same 'taint-it?'
You bet!
End the Ca. micra law. It is based upon a lie, unfair, unconstitutional, rewards negligent doctors and punishes victims. Shame on California. defense lawyers, doctors, hospitals and GREEDY insurance companys. This is the most UNFAIR law on the books and until a doctor kills or injures your loved one you will never know the heart ache. Stop letting doctors and hospitals get away with murder!
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MaryNov 20th, 2007 - 22:34:55
Leave it to a hospital to almost kill you! Cedar Sinai is so lax who's keeping the charts there? How sad for the Quaids. I hope they're all O.K.
and someone should be fired!
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