CLEVELAND — There are new developments in the University Hospitals kidney transplant mistake in which the wrong kidney went into the wrong patient earlier this month. Plus, the second patient who should have gotten the kidney is back on the transplant waiting list.
5 On Your Side Investigators broke the story and have been asking over and over again for a sit-down interview with UH. We’ve asked for answers on basic information and procedures involving the case and finally today, it released a statement confirming it’s being investigated.
Here’s the full statement:
“University Hospitals is unable to comment further about details of the transplant event while investigations by outside agencies and our own internal quality and compliance experts continue. We assure our patients, caregivers and the community we serve of our commitment to accountability and to the highest standards of medical care. UH will take the actions necessary to prevent such a mistake from ever happening again. In respect for patient privacy, we are also prohibited from providing information about the care they received. “
Meanwhile, we interviewed the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) about patient safety. The organization represents 245 hospitals and 15 health systems in the state, including UH.
OHA is not investigating UH, but said there are many safety protocols that medical staff, in general, have to follow especially when it comes to surgeries to help ensure patient safety. OHA told us in 2020, there were 1.4 million in-patient encounters in the state.
OHA has something called the Ohio Patient Safety Institute which provides information about safety for patients. Plus, the organization works with medical staff on continuing education for the latest info and training on best practices.
“It’s definitely a collaborative process,” said OHA Director of Public Relations John Palmer. “It’s something that we’re constantly learning. Every procedure, every surgery, every encounter is important and we learn from them. That’s why we’re in this business to provide the best patient care possible.”
News 5 is dedicated to finding out more information about the UH transplant mistake and will let you know when more details emerge.
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