Ishwari Prasad, an 84-year-old Indian-American doctor based in Florida, has faced disciplinary action following two problematic colonoscopy procedures, which have raised significant concerns about his medical practice. One particularly troubling incident involved a patient who was not adequately sedated during the procedure, resulting in the patient screaming in pain. However, Dr. Prasad, who was not wearing his hearing aids at the time, failed to hear the patient's cries, leading to severe discomfort and a breach of medical ethics.
Dr. Prasad, who has been licensed to practice in Florida since 1990, has been subjected to multiple penalties due to these incidents. The Florida Board of Medicine has placed him on probation, fined him $7,500, and ordered him to pay $6,301 in case-related costs. Additionally, he is required to complete a five-hour course on medical ethics. As part of his probation, Dr. Prasad is prohibited from performing procedures independently until he successfully completes 10 supervised gastroenterology procedures, which will be monitored by the Florida Board of Medicine.
The incidents in question both occurred on June 5 of the previous year at the Tampa Ambulatory Surgery Centre in Florida. Colonoscopies, which involve using a long, flexible tube equipped with a camera to examine the large intestine for issues such as polyps or cancer, are typically routine procedures. However, in Dr. Prasad's case, significant deviations from standard medical practices were noted.
In one of the colonoscopies, Dr. Prasad "improperly delegated" critical tasks to an unlicensed surgical technician, allowing the technician to insert and manipulate the scope, despite her lack of medical training. This improper delegation of responsibilities contributed to the botched procedure, as the technician was not qualified to perform these tasks, raising questions about the overall safety and quality of care provided.
The second procedure was marred by a sedation failure, where Dr. Prasad began the colonoscopy before the patient was fully sedated. This led to the patient experiencing extreme pain, but Dr. Prasad did not stop the procedure, reportedly because he could not hear the patient's cries due to his failure to use hearing aids. An investigation revealed that the sedation issue stemmed from a problem with the patient's IV line, but even after being advised to wait, Dr. Prasad continued the procedure, exacerbating the patient's discomfort.
Further investigation uncovered that the surgical technician regularly assisted Dr. Prasad with tasks that were beyond her training, largely because of his inability to perform them himself. The technician admitted to handling various responsibilities, including pushing the scope and cutting polyps, activities typically reserved for a licensed medical professional.
As a result of these findings, Dr. Prasad has not only been fined and placed on probation but is also required to take immediate corrective actions, including the completion of the continuing medical education course by August 7 of next year. The case highlights serious concerns about the quality of care provided and the importance of adhering to medical protocols, particularly when it comes to ensuring patient safety and proper supervision during procedures.
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