Ray ortiz arrested

[amyl]

Doctor at Center of Tainted IV Bag Investigation Arrested in Plano

A doctor whose license was suspended after the Texas Medical Board said he was the subject of a criminal investigation into tainted IV bags linked to one death has been arrested, Dallas police say.

www.nbcdfw.com

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[NICMAN]

Very sorry for the victims of this heinous apparent/alleged crime. I heard that surgery center was staffed by both USAP and Metro Anesthesia. A friend of mine in the Dallas market said the Anesthesiologist he killed was a USAP physician. Any word on the liability to either anesthesia companies?

 

[nimbus]

Very sorry for the victims of this heinous apparent/alleged crime. I heard that surgery center was staffed by both USAP and Metro Anesthesia. A friend of mine in the Dallas market said the Anesthesiologist he killed was a USAP physician. Any word on the liability to either anesthesia companies?

Ortiz had his own group, Garland Anesthesia Consultants.

 

[Agast]

Is it typical for a surgery center to have multiple anesthesia groups contracted? Was he attached to a particular surgeon as a package deal or something

 

[Ashers]

Is it typical for a surgery center to have multiple anesthesia groups contracted? Was he attached to a particular surgeon as a package deal or something

Depends on the market. In AZ, especially Phoenix, and in my understanding in TX it is too, some other places as well. The groups may not be contracted to the surgery center, but they can work with specific surgeons at each center.

I don't know the answer to the second part. I'm glad to hear he was arrested.

 

[nycitygas]

Majority of surgery centers in texas are "open" and allow multiple groups. There is usually a in house group that covers most of the general cases and separate small groups that cover the GI and Pain cases. The small groups usually have a fee splitting arrangement with the GI/Pain docs to the point they are making more money from the anesthesia kickback then from their professional fees.

 

[amyl]

Texas has an open staffing model. The surgeons chose their individual anesthesia provider. Ray ortiz has always been independent (calling himself garland anesthesia) and is not affiliated with either metro or USAP.
I don’t believe that any of these entities can be held accountable for an individual breaking the law - but I am not an attorney

 

[nimbus]

Texas has an open staffing model. The surgeons chose their individual anesthesia provider. Ray ortiz has always been independent (calling himself garland anesthesia) and is not affiliated with either metro or USAP.
I don’t believe that any of these entities can be held accountable for an individual breaking the law - but I am not an attorney

Same in California. Most hospitals have contracts/stipend agreements with certain groups, but the medical staff is open. Just like surgeons, any anesthesiologist can apply for privileges and get them as long as they are qualified. If privileges are denied, there needs to be good reason, and not just because they don’t belong to a preferred group.

We also go to a mixed staff surgery center. We used to staff a hospital with a mixed staff (2 anesthesia groups) until everybody there joined our group.

 

[pro-propofol]

The surgery center probably shares some liability. Too many people have access to medication and IV fluids.
Everyone is going to be affected by this because to prevent copycat events all surgery centers and hospitals will have to clamp down.
Pyxis is going to get hell of a lot of business and competing groups are going to face more scrutiny.

 

[IlDestriero]

We have had pyxis machines all over for years now. One could still steal drugs, but that makes it a lot harder and something like bupi going missing repeatedly could be detected and potentially traced.

 

[Euripides]

Texas Anesthesiologist Arrested on Criminal Charges Related to Alleged Tampering with IV Bags Implicated in Death, Surgical Emergencies

A Dallas anesthesiologist who allegedly injected nerve blocking agents and other drugs into patient IV bags at a local surgery center – resulting in at least one death and multiple cardiac emergencies – was arrested Wednesday on federal criminal charges.

www.justice.gov

 

[nimbus]

Texas Anesthesiologist Arrested on Criminal Charges Related to Alleged Tampering with IV Bags Implicated in Death, Surgical Emergencies

A Dallas anesthesiologist who allegedly injected nerve blocking agents and other drugs into patient IV bags at a local surgery center – resulting in at least one death and multiple cardiac emergencies – was arrested Wednesday on federal criminal charges.

www.justice.gov

I wonder if this will lead to more rules about handling IV fluids…..eg tamper evident overbags, locked warmers, individually dispensed/signed out, etc.

 

[coffeebythelake]

I wonder if this will lead to more rules about handling IV fluids…..eg tamper evident overbags, locked warmers, individually dispensed/signed out, etc.

In the off chance that a sociopath, murderous medical personnel tamper with it? Seems unlikely

 

[nimbus]

In the off chance that a sociopath, murderous medical personnel tamper with it? Seems unlikely

Isn’t that why we have tamper evident packaging for Tylenol? Or why we take our shoes off at the airport?

 

[OptionOffense]

With respects of the death of his colleagueI say he doesnt get charged for this death. He did not inject her. She took the iv bag home on her own. They would have to prove that the exact bag she took home was absolutely tainted with bupivicaine and prove that he actually is the one who injected the bag and also that he absolutely intended to kill her. That is a tall order for a prosecutor. There is no way they will be able to accomplish that.

 

[gtb]

Doctor at Center of Tainted IV Bag Investigation Arrested in Plano

A doctor whose license was suspended after the Texas Medical Board said he was the subject of a criminal investigation into tainted IV bags linked to one death has been arrested, Dallas police say.

www.nbcdfw.com

Investigators collected four IV bags from “Facility 1′s” warmer . . . Upon further inspection, small holes were found in the clear plastic packaging bags that encase the IV bags, the complaint states.

Respect to the investigators for collecting evidence from the warmers. And for finding evidence of punctures. I never in my life would have thought of someone poisoning the fluids. Just an act of pure evil.

 

[jon stewart]

Was the physician who passed a target or just was unlucky and ended up taking the tampered Iv bag by accident?

Terrible terrible news
Also multiple issues since the 90s with this perpetrator, unclear what strict dsicpline actions and what was done to monitor thereafter

 

[amyl]

She was accidental collateral damage :-(

 

[coffeebythelake]

She was accidental collateral damage :-(

There wasnt any targeting involved. By adultering the IV bags the whole point is about causing indiscriminate injury and death.

 

[abolt18]

Any more news on all this?

 

[dchz]

Trial date set for Feb.

 

[coffeebythelake]

This guy seems like a menace and should rot in prison

 

[neutro]

Depends on the market. In AZ, especially Phoenix, and in my understanding in TX it is too, some other places as well. The groups may not be contracted to the surgery center, but they can work with specific surgeons at each center.

I don't know the answer to the second part. I'm glad to hear he was arrested.

a wise anesthesiologist recently told me its not always good to have the exclusive contract...
it makes you inflexible and you cannot say no to poor payors or time suck or bad surgeons...

 

[Arantius]

Anyone know what his motive was? I seem to remember a similar story and the doc wanted to be “the hero” and rescue LAST? Such a bizarre story

 

[coffeebythelake]

Anyone know what his motive was? I seem to remember a similar story and the doc wanted to be “the hero” and rescue LAST? Such a bizarre story

He had a string of bad preventable events and was reprimanded for it. This was probably some messed up way to get back at them.

 

[amyl]

That’s right. He had had several patients ship to the hospital - which is reportable here in Texas…. I think he wanted to show it wasn’t just him

 

[Bertelman]

Well that backfired, tragically

 

[Arantius]

That’s right. He had had several patients ship to the hospital - which is reportable here in Texas…. I think he wanted to show it wasn’t just him

What the hell is wrong with people. Seriously. I hope justice is served for the anesthesiologist who was murdered.

 

[amyl]

I met him professionally on a couple occasions. He was creepy and weird. Ordered everything on the menu and had just a bite… later was told that’s because he had had gastric bypass - but that’s just the local gossip, believe it if you want.
He was engaged briefly to one of our prn crnas… she later got a restraining order on him.
He’s clearly a mentally disturbed person - sociopath I would guess, but I’m not a psychiatrist.
Mel Kaspar was loved by all… myself included - she was truly a great person and anesthesiologist. She’s sorely missed in our group and by OR staff.
As for Ray, whatever terrible things happen to him in prison, during the trial, and after - it’s not enough.

 

[wysdoc]

I met him professionally on a couple occasions. He was creepy and weird. Ordered everything on the menu and had just a bite… later was told that’s because he had had gastric bypass - but that’s just the local gossip, believe it if you want.
He was engaged briefly to one of our prn crnas… she later got a restraining order on him.
He’s clearly a mentally disturbed person - sociopath I would guess, but I’m not a psychiatrist.
Mel Kaspar was loved by all… myself included - she was truly a great person and anesthesiologist. She’s sorely missed in our group and by OR staff.
As for Ray, whatever terrible things happen to him in prison, during the trial, and after - it’s not enough.

When is the trial going to take place?

 

[amyl]

It is on going now

 

[Bertelman]

Mel Kaspar was loved by all… myself included - she was truly a great person and anesthesiologist. She’s sorely missed in our group and by OR staff.

I agree.

I had the pleasure of working with her when she joined the original anesthesia group, 25 years ago. She was a wonderful person. Heartbreaking thing to happen to such a nice family.