Here are four anesthesiologists making headlines since Nov. 15:
1. A recent suit was filed against UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest, Calif., accusing anesthesiologist Bradley Hay, MD, and Gerard Manecke Jr., MD, former chief of anesthesiology, among others, of not giving a patient enough anesthesia and then falsifying official medical records.
2. The coworkers of anesthesiologist Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr., MD, who allegedly injected heart-stopping drugs into IV bags at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas, testified they were "terrified" of him to federal investigators.
3. A patient died at a plastic surgery center in Plantation, Fla., after an OB-GYN was used as an unlicensed anesthesiologist. An administrative complaint filed by the Florida Department of Health said that on Sept. 17, 2021, an inspection found OB-GYN Millicent Muir, MD, was providing anesthesia for level 2 surgeries, though she is not licensed to do so. On Oct. 20, Dr. Muir handled the anesthesia for a Brazilian butt lift, liposuction and breast augmentation procedure. The patient died later that day.
4. The No Surprises Act has created financial challenges for anesthesiologists, the American Society of Anesthesiologist said. The implementation of the law has harmed physicians specifically at small and medium-sized practices, the society said in a news release. Insurance companies have slashed payments for anesthesiologists by nearly 40 percent in many cases.