A deaf doctor could face disciplinary action for failing to hear a patient scream during a colonoscopy, the Miami Herald reported, citing the Florida Medical Association.
Dr. Ishwari Prasad, a Tampa-based gastroenterologist, has been placed on probation by the Florida Medical Board following incidents that occurred during two colonoscopies. According to The incident, which occurred at an outpatient surgery center on June 5, 2023, has raised concerns about patient safety and compliance with surgical procedures, according to the Miami Herald.
A Florida doctor without hearing aids couldn't hear a patient scream during a colonoscopy https://t.co/M9uwURPIL1
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) August 14, 2024
According to the Miami Herald, Dr. Prasad, who relies on hearing aids, underwent the procedure without them, which led to communication problems with the surgical team. An administrative complaint with the Florida Department of Health alleges that poor communication contributed to several surgical errors.
In the first case, Prasad is accused of outsourcing critical tasks such as inserting and operating a scope to a surgical technician who was not qualified to perform the medical procedure, the media report said.
In the second incident, Prasad reportedly inserted the scope before the patient was fully sedated, causing the patient to cry out in pain. The lawsuit stresses that Prasad did not stop the procedure immediately and failed to acknowledge the patient's distress, and that the patient's choice not to wear a hearing aid contributed to the outcome. (Related: Shocking video captured of dental staff apparently mocking cancer patient's diary)
In this photo taken on December 9, 2022, thoracic surgeon Thomas Charrier (second from right) at Foch Hospital in Suresnes, outside Paris, gives the go-ahead for the transplant over the phone to a colleague in Suresnes after examining the lungs of a deceased patient (Photo: Christophe Archambault/AFP via Getty Images)
As a result of the incident, the state's medical board sanctioned Prasad, ordering him to pay $6,301 in legal costs to the Florida Department of Health, $7,500 in fines, and to complete a five-hour continuing medical education course focusing on law, regulations and ethics by Aug. 7, 2025, according to the Miami Herald.
According to the media, Prasad is also prohibited from performing gastroenterology procedures independently until he undergoes a competency evaluation through one of several approved programs, including the University of Florida's Florida Comprehensive Assessment and Corrective Education Services program, the University of California, San Diego's Program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly (PACE), and the Center for Individualized Education for Specialists. Instead, he must perform at least 10 supervised gastroenterology procedures, including five colonoscopies, under the supervision of board-certified gastroenterologist Dr. John Delgado.
