Dr Ishwari Prasad, an 84-year-old Indian-American gastroenterologist from Florida, is facing disciplinary action after a colonoscopy incident where he failed to respond to a patient’s cries of pain. The complaint reveals that Dr Prasad, who was not wearing his hearing aids, continued with the procedure despite the patient screaming in agony.
The incident occurred on June 5 at the Tampa Ambulatory Surgery Center.Dr Prasad reportedly began the colonoscopy before the patient was fully sedated, causing intense discomfort. The patient’s screams went unheard by Dr Prasad due to his lack of hearing aids, which prevented him from stopping the procedure promptly, reported US Today.
In addition to this oversight, the complaint highlights that Dr Prasad improperly delegated crucial tasks to an unlicensed surgical technician during the procedure. The technician performed tasks such as scope manipulation and polyp removal, which are typically performed by licensed medical professionals.
The Florida Board of Medicine has placed Dr Prasad on probation, fined him $7,500, and required him to pay $6,301 in case costs.
He is also mandated to complete a five-hour continuing medical education course and will not be allowed to perform medical procedures independently until he demonstrates competency under supervision.
The incident occurred on June 5 at the Tampa Ambulatory Surgery Center.Dr Prasad reportedly began the colonoscopy before the patient was fully sedated, causing intense discomfort. The patient’s screams went unheard by Dr Prasad due to his lack of hearing aids, which prevented him from stopping the procedure promptly, reported US Today.
In addition to this oversight, the complaint highlights that Dr Prasad improperly delegated crucial tasks to an unlicensed surgical technician during the procedure. The technician performed tasks such as scope manipulation and polyp removal, which are typically performed by licensed medical professionals.
The Florida Board of Medicine has placed Dr Prasad on probation, fined him $7,500, and required him to pay $6,301 in case costs.
He is also mandated to complete a five-hour continuing medical education course and will not be allowed to perform medical procedures independently until he demonstrates competency under supervision.