The NYC clinic where Joan Rivers went into cardiac arrest reportedly doubled the amount of Propofol they gave her during throat surgery.
According to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the clinic improperly documented how much of the anesthetic drug was used and “failed to identify deteriorating vital signs and provide timely intervention during the procedure.”
As previously reported, staff members at Yorkville Endoscopy also took photographs of the comedienne with a cell phone. Rivers died at a hospital days later on Sept. 4 from low blood oxygen.
According to ABC:
After her death, the New York State Health Department launched a routine investigation of the clinic, only to find lapses in four categories necessary for accreditation: governing body and management, surgical services, medical staff and patient rights.
Yorkville Endoscopy said today it has been fully cooperated with regulatory agencies since Rivers’ Aug. 28 cardiac arrest and, “in response to the statement of deficiencies, Yorkville immediately submitted and implemented a plan of correction that addressed all issues raised.”
“The regulatory agencies are currently reviewing the corrective plan of action and have been in regular contact with Yorkville,” the clinic’s statement added. “In addition, the physicians involved in the direct care and treatment referenced in the report no longer practice or provide services at Yorkville. Yorkville will continue its commitment to complying with all standards and accreditation requirements.”
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The clinic also failed to assure only authorized personnel were in the procedure room when Joan Rivers went in for treatment, the report stated, and failed to “have an effective process in place to assure that only credentialed physicians can perform procedures.” It failed to ensure informed consent was obtained for all the procedures performed on Rivers, the report said, adding that all of those failures “compromised” Rivers’ safety.
Melissa Rivers, the late comedienne’s daughter, has retained attorneys to investigate her mother’s death.
“Our client, Melissa Rivers, is terribly disappointed to learn of the multiple failings on the part of medical personnel and the clinic as evidenced by the CMS report,” attorneys Jeffrey B. Bloom and Ben Rubinowitz said today in a prepared statement. “As any of us would be, Ms. Rivers is outraged by the misconduct and mismanagement now shown to have occurred before, during and after the procedure. Moving forward, Ms. Rivers will direct her efforts towards ensuring that what happened to her mother will not occur again with any other patient.”
The clinic will lose its certification on Jan. 7 unless it fixes the issues highlighted in the report.
SOURCE: ABC | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
