Medical Board acts against anesthesiologists who worked at Enloe
By LARRY MITCHELL - Staff Writer
Posted: 04/14/2010 11:00:00 PM PDT
CHICO -- The state Medical Board has taken action against two anesthesiologists who were involved in operations that led to the deaths of three patients at Enloe Medical Center.
Dr. Jan Marie Rosnow of Sacramento has been disciplined by the Medical Board.
Dr. George Chalhoub of Huntington Valley, Pa., has been charged with wrongdoing by the board.
They were among temporary anesthesiologists who worked at Enloe during 2006 and 2007. The temporary doctors were hired after the Chico hospital canceled its contract with a group of anesthesiologists who had worked at Enloe for many years. Since then, Enloe has signed a contract with a new group of permanent anesthesiologists.
Rosnow was the anesthesiologist when Charles Hodsdon, 42, of Paradise was operated on for a bleeding spleen in October of 2006.
The formal charge against Rosnow states that when Hodsdon needed emergency surgery, she gave him too much anesthesia and also failed to address his severe blood loss.
As discipline, the board publicly reprimanded Rosnow and ordered her to take a course in prescribing practices and enroll in a clinical training program.
In Chalhoub's case, the board issued an accusation following an investigation of his involvement in two surgeries.
In one case, on Dec. 22, 2006, Henry "Hank" Evers, 75, of Chico, was being operated on for a brain tumor. During the surgery, the patient went into cardiac arrest, and attempts to resuscitate him failed.
The Medical Board's accusation against Chalhoub states the doctor failed to carefully monitor Evers and failed to recognize and quickly react to the emergency.
In the other operation, Randall Perrucci, 44, of Gridley, underwent surgery to repair a shoulder injury on Feb. 8, 2007. He also went into cardiac arrest and could not be revived.
The accusation against Chalhoub states he administered an excessive amount of anesthesia and failed to quickly recognize and treat breathing problems Perrucci was having.
Now, Chalhoub can either agree to discipline by the board or challenge the accusation against him.
Lawsuits were filed against the anesthesiologists in each of these three cases. The Perrucci and Evers cases have been settled. The suit in the Hodsdon case is still pending.
Paradise attorney Joe Earley, who represents the plaintiff in the Hodsdon case, said the action is based on the allegation that Rosnow gave Hodsdon a drug that is inappropriate for a person who is paralyzed, as Hodsdon was.
Staff writer Larry Mitchell can be reached at 896-7759 or
[email protected].
(That's right, I said it!--via my Chris Rock voice). Plus, not all of those new grads can/will handle a PP cardiac guy or a vascular dickwad. Surgeons may not want to put up with learning curves and delays to their days....
