TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Kaohsiung Municipal Min-Sheng Hospital was fined on Thursday (April 11) for performing surgery on the wrong patient on April 4.
Kaohsiung City Government Department of Health fined the hospital NT$500,000 (US$15,500), reported Liberty Times. Hospital director Yen Chia-chi (顏家祺) was relieved of his duties and replaced by Lin Meng-chiao (林盟喬), acting director of the hospital's management center.
The chief surgeon received a major demerit and disciplinary action. Disciplinary action was also taken against the anesthesiologist, operating room nurse, ward nurse, and orderly for "failing to properly identify the patient," with each receiving a warning.
Before the incident, an elderly patient surnamed Huang (黃), hospitalized for hypotension, shared a room with a patient surnamed Chang (張). On April 4, when Chang was scheduled for thoracic drainage surgery, an orderly mistakenly brought Huang to the operating room.
Throughout the process, none of the workers on duty noticed the error. It was not until a nurse prepared to administer medication to Huang that it was discovered he was not in his hospital bed.
The surgery had already been completed before staff could intervene.
The health department emphasized that patient safety is the core value of healthcare. It said the hospital should “take this incident as a painful lesson, deeply reflect on it, and make comprehensive improvements.”
The department also said that it would rigorously oversee the prompt implementation of corrective measures.
