OH - Dr. William Husel accused of murdering 25 patients w/ Fentanyl Overdoses, Franklin Co, 2019 *not guilty*

[JoeFromLB]

Ohio Doctor Accused of Murdering 25 Patients With Fentanyl Overdoses

June 5, 2019

An Ohio critical care doctor has been charged with murder in the overdose deaths of 25 patients, PEOPLE confirms.

Prosecutors alleged William Husel, who worked at the Columbus-area Mount Carmel Health System, allegedly “purposely caused the death” of each of his patients who were administered lethal amounts of fentanyl that “shortened their life and hastened or caused their death,” according to a Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office press release obtained by PEOPLE.

 

[JoeFromLB]

He pleaded Not Guilty and bail was set at $1 million.

 

[Lmustang89]

Former Mount Carmel doctor William Husel has complicated past

Snipped
"
Dr. William Husel has been a mystery since being fired from his job and accused by Mount Carmel Health System of ordering excessive doses of pain medication for 34 patients. All of the patients died, but the health system does not believe the drugs caused six of the deaths.

He has been thrust into the national spotlight and is the subject of a sweeping criminal investigation into dozens of deaths.

He has not answered inquiries from police, has evaded reporters and invoked his Fifth Amendment right against incrimination when questioned by investigators from the state medical board."

Attorneys say former Mount Carmel doctor might have inappropriately deemed patients brain-dead

Snipped
"Some of the Mount Carmel Health System patients believed to have been given potentially fatal doses of painkillers might also have been inappropriately deemed brain-dead before the medications were given, according to attorneys who have filed lawsuits in the matter.

In several instances, Dr. William Husel would prescribe excessive doses of fentanyl shortly after telling family members their loved one was brain-dead, according to attorneys and families who have spoken to The Dispatch.

Husel is accused by the health system of ordering excessive — and in many cases, potentially fatal — doses of pain medications for 34 intensive-care patients."
https://www.facebook.com/search/str...eRUEInOeRYaovbDX7VFGOHWO&epa=RELATED_SEARCHES

 

[JoeFromLB]

"I'll have my euthanasia straight up with a fentanyl chaser, Doc."

 

[kirkassoc]

From the above article:


Almost two dozen lawsuits have been filed against the doctor, according to NBC. In one of the cases, an 82-year-old woman allegedly died after she was given 2,000 micrograms of fentanyl five minutes before her death. She had gone to Mount Carmel West complaining of stomach pains.

Husel faces years to life in prison, according to the prosecutor’s office.

How many people must one kill to qualify for the death penalty? How many years is one life worth?

William S Husel: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com

 

[goddess]

How dare he. I am sure he will use the Angel of Mercy defense.

 

[Wagtales10]

This is the first time I ever heard of people OD'ing from Fentanyl that is not their choice.

 

[dyannaON]

Sick.

 

[OhioBlues]

How did the Pharmacy staff not know?

 

[lucylulu]

How did the Pharmacy staff not know?

These drugs are regulated and the pharmacist should of received an alert for the high dosage.
Moo

 

[2Hope4]

They charged the dr, now charge the nurses who administered the lethal doses.

 

[moonriverfarm]

Playing Kevorkian.

 

[YESorNO]

 

[psych-nurse]

How dare he. I am sure he will use the Angel of Mercy defense.

I'm not sure he would have a valid defense as it has been determined that many of those patients weren't terminal and would've gotten better and discharged in a few days.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Former Mount Carmel doctor William Husel has complicated past

Snipped
"
Dr. William Husel has been a mystery since being fired from his job and accused by Mount Carmel Health System of ordering excessive doses of pain medication for 34 patients. All of the patients died, but the health system does not believe the drugs caused six of the deaths.

He has been thrust into the national spotlight and is the subject of a sweeping criminal investigation into dozens of deaths.

He has not answered inquiries from police, has evaded reporters and invoked his Fifth Amendment right against incrimination when questioned by investigators from the state medical board."

Attorneys say former Mount Carmel doctor might have inappropriately deemed patients brain-dead

Snipped
"Some of the Mount Carmel Health System patients believed to have been given potentially fatal doses of painkillers might also have been inappropriately deemed brain-dead before the medications were given, according to attorneys who have filed lawsuits in the matter.

In several instances, Dr. William Husel would prescribe excessive doses of fentanyl shortly after telling family members their loved one was brain-dead, according to attorneys and families who have spoken to The Dispatch.

Husel is accused by the health system of ordering excessive — and in many cases, potentially fatal — doses of pain medications for 34 intensive-care patients."
https://www.facebook.com/search/str...eRUEInOeRYaovbDX7VFGOHWO&epa=RELATED_SEARCHES

Did the pharmacy fill the med request and did a nurse administer them? This would make more than the physician culpable IMO. If the MD has determined the patient to be brain dead, there would have to be objective evidence in the form of EEG's, etc. I'm sure LE is investigating to see if those protocols were met. How very sad.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

This may help with our discussions. When I was in practice there were 3 criteria which included 3 thirty minute flat EEG's over a specified period.
I found this current info which is more elaborate: The diagnosis of brain death
alth.ny.gov/professionals/hospital_administrator/letters/2011/brain_death_guidelines.htm
The Challenges of Defining and Diagnosing Brain Death

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Thank you for posting this.

 

[Bugurl747]

Did the pharmacy fill the med request and did a nurse administer them? This would make more than the physician culpable IMO. If the MD has determined the patient to be brain dead, there would have to be objective evidence in the form of EEG's, etc. I'm sure LE is investigating to see if those protocols were met. How very sad.

It doesn't negate what Husel prescribed or his potential intent but IMO, it sounds like the hospital lacked some key safety measures and protocols in dosing and administering such medications. I'll be following this case closely to see what all comes to light.


Per article:

Intensive care doctor William S. Husel, registered nurse Tyler Rudman and pharmacist Talon Schroyer are all named in a civil lawsuit filed against the hospital. But it turns out that around 20 hospital employees in total have been placed on paid leave as a result of the investigation, hospital officials confirm.

Lamb does not explain how Husel, pharmacist and nurses were able to order, approve and administer those medications without permission.

Those employees have not all been named nor their respective roles in patient care identified save to say they’re mostly nurses and pharmacy staff.

 

[Bryant_Denny]

The pharmacists and nurses (48 total) involved in these cases were reported to their associated state boards. Sadly, the article mentions one of the nurses is Husels wife...yikes!

I really want to think this is some sort of mistake or misunderstanding. Possibly when entering the order? Pharmacy should’ve caught that and called the unit. If it made it past that stop then the RN should’ve questioned the order. Under absolutely NO circumstances would I administer Fentanyl 2,000 mcg regardless of venilatory support!! Even in circumstances when withdrawing care, I’ve never heard of anything close in the ICU. It’s more of a cocktail: Morphine and Ativan in a drip or something similar. Surely there is more to this.

It’s just awful for someone to throw away their career like this and so early on. He finished his residency in 2015 and then began practicing as a physician in the ICU. Apparently he was also an anesthesiologist. I wonder if any of the cases are related to anesthesia?

MOO....there is always the possibility he became impaired
25 nurses cited over high doses for patients who died

Didn’t know there was a whistleblower involved early on either
Dr. William Husel did not meet requirements to work at Mount Carmel, whistleblower says: William Husel, DO, the physician accused of ordering potentially fatal painkiller doses for at least 34 near-death patients, did not meet training requirements for clinical privileges at Columbus, Ohio-based Mount Carmel Health System, an unnamed source told CBS affiliate WBNS 10 TV.

 

[Bryant_Denny]

This may help with our discussions. When I was in practice there were 3 criteria which included 3 thirty minute flat EEG's over a specified period.
I found this current info which is more elaborate: The diagnosis of brain death
alth.ny.gov/professionals/hospital_administrator/letters/2011/brain_death_guidelines.htm
The Challenges of Defining and Diagnosing Brain Death

I am not sure of Ohio state law, but some states require that 2 physicians must declare brain death. This is the law in my state.
As we know from older cases involving brain death in the media, some states do not require physicians to obtain consent from family members prior to withdrawal of ventilatory support.

Critical Care Commentary: Brain death – patient, law, and family