Mount Carmel Health System has put 23 employees on leave as they investigate “excessive” dosing practices by now-fired doctor William Husel.
Husel was fired from Mount Carmel on December 5, and the hospital subsequently put 20 nurses and pharmacists on administrative leave. In a statement to WOSU, a Mount Carmel spokesperson says that number has now risen to 23 employees, including members of the management team.
In an internal video intended for Mount Carmel Employees, CEO Ed Lamb addressed the employee’s absences.
“Some of our colleagues did not meet our standard of care,” Lamb said. “The actions that created this tragedy were instigated by this physician and carried out by a small number of good people who made poor decisions. They ignored the safeguards we had in place.”
Timeline: The Mount Carmel Scandal So Far
Husel was an anesthesiologist and ICU doctor at Mount Carmel from 2013-2018. The hospital says Husel ordered higher-than-usual doses of the painkiller fentanyl for at least 34 patients. Many of those patients died after being administered the drugs.
The hospital is still investigating whether the doses were the direct cause of the patients' deaths.
Husel was removed from patient care duty on November 21, 2018, and fired a few weeks later.
Since January 14, when Mount Carmel made its first public announcement about Husel’s firing, eight wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against Mount Carmel, Husel, pharmacists and nurses by the families of his patients.
Last week, the Ohio Medical Board voted to suspend Husel’s license, while the Department of Medicaid suspended their provider agreement with him.
If you are a Mount Carmel staffer who has information to share, or you believe your loved one or family member was impacted by this case, contact WOSU at paige.pfleger@wosu.org.
