Dr. Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr., an anesthesiologist at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas, had his licence suspended by the Texas Medical Board on Friday, September 9, after he was discovered tampering with IV bags that resulted in the cardiac arrest death of Dr. Melanie Kaspar, 55, a fellow anesthesiologist there, in June.
The announcement of the suspension comes a week after the surgery facility was shut down due to the discovery that their IV bags had been “compromised,” according to DailyMail. It was determined that Ortiz’ continued practise of medicine “poses a continuing threat to public welfare,” the Texas Medical Board said in a press release obtained by CBS. According to court documents, “Dr. Ortiz was a part of an ongoing criminal investigation following serious cardiac complications and one patient’s death connected with Ortiz’s presence at the Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas facility from May through September 2022.”
According to a KTVZ report, Ortiz was observed “depositing single IV bags into the warmer in the hallway outside operating rooms, and that shortly thereafter a patient would suffer from a serious complication.” The lab tests on the bags revealed “visible tiny holes in the plastic wrap around the bags,” and it was determined that the IV bags contained bupivacaine, which was not labelled. “Such drugs could and would be fatal when administered unknowingly and intravenously,” the report states.
Kaspar’s husband John said, “My wife Mel was an incredible person. She was beloved by her patients, peers, and everyone she worked with. To watch her die in such a tragic manner is something I will have to live with forever.” The company which owns the surgery facility, Baylor Scott and White, previously said in a statement, “We remain focused on assisting investigators. There is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of our patients.”
Ortiz has not been charged with any crimes and has not been designated as a suspect. Up until the board decides to take additional action regarding him, the suspension will stand.
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