Hospital Chief Calls Quaid Tragedy "Preventable Error"

Dennis QuaidAfter staff at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center accidentally gave Dennis Quaid's newborn twins and several other patients an overdose of the blood thinner heparin, the hospital's Chief Medical Officer, Michael L. Langberg, MD, apologized and issued a statement this evening.

According to Dr. Langberg, the error was "preventable" and involved "a failure to follow our standard policies and procedures." He said "there is no excuse for that to occur at Cedars-Sinai."

As for the twins, the statement did not identify them by name, but did say after giving "two patients" protamine sulfate, they "indicated no adverse effects from the higher concentration of heparin or from the temporary abnormal clotting function. Doctors continue to monitor the patients."

C
lick here to read Dr. Langberg's complete statement.




Reader Comments

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16. don_pap...heparin is also used to keep lines (IVs, arterial lines, etc) patent. A small dosage is used to keep blood in the IV catheter from clotting up the line.

oh, and don't be so quick to blame nurses. pharmacists at our hospital mix the drugs and give it to us in a syringe labeled with the drug name & concentration, patient name, etc. If they labeled it incorrectly, the nurse couldn't have known it was the wrong concentration. I don't know the specifics to this situation but I can see how the nurse would not be at fault but rather the pharmacist.

Posted at 11:47PM on Nov 20th 2007 by GG

17. iamazing that celebrities like to go to cedar's....why? just following the crowd, i guess

yet the best medical care is at UCLA....it's in the top 5 of all medical centers nation-wide

Posted at 1:39AM on Nov 24th 2007 by melinda

18. LIKE ROBOTS SOME NURSES ARE

AFRAID TO QUESTION A DOCTORS DECISION

THE NURSE PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN READ 10,000 UNITS

NO LESS QUESTION IT.

I PRAY THAT THOSE BABIES ARE NOT LEFT WITH ANY

ABNORMALITIES ASSUMING THEY SURVIVE.

Posted at 11:57PM on Nov 20th 2007 by shakira

19. 14 you can't possibly still believe in OJ's innocence. His actions since the event have more than shown him for the crook and sociopath he is. Smell the coffee.

Posted at 12:21AM on Nov 21st 2007 by jakie

20. All hospitals require that medications such as heparin and insulin are to be verified and co-signed by two Registered Nurses. The pharmacist isn't at fault since nurses are able to read and question dosages. When caring for infants and pediatric patients, it is imperative that the medication orders are verified and the doses are checked before administering. There really is no excuse for what happened.

Posted at 2:28PM on Nov 21st 2007 by Dr. Pouslasky

21. I believe it. Of course it was preventable.
When i was in the hosp. a nurse came in my room and said okay I've got your meds...
I looked at my medicine and it did not seem right.
I questioned what she was giving me.
She wasn't happy that I questioned her authority.
But Thank goodness I caught it.
The nurse almost administered me meds that my hospital roommate was supposed to receive.
After checking her log...she was like....OOps! Never apologized. Didn't act like it was a big deal.
Unfortunately babies can't express themselves. The hospital should be sued. And the nurse and physician in charge held accountable and fired. The poor family.

Posted at 12:05AM on Nov 21st 2007 by Really!!!

22. Cedars-Sinai had a similar problem quite a few years ago when they gave a number of patients contaminated blood transfusions or transfusions that had not been properly screened for AIDS if I am not mistaken. Wouldn't you think that any hospital would be super careful after just ONE MISHAP???

Posted at 12:04AM on Nov 21st 2007 by Isn't the First Time

23. Are the twins okay or not? Dear TMZ--the word "tragedy" connotates death. Did you want your readers to think the worst before reading on? This gossip site has "integrity" because it generally reports facts, even if they are purposefully titillating facts about famous or marginally famous people. Why intentionally misuse the word "tragedy"? Can we just pray for the best instead?

Posted at 12:08AM on Nov 21st 2007 by People Police

24. Oh my god. Both the nurse and tech need to answer for this! That was two chances right there to correct the mistake.

Posted at 12:13AM on Nov 21st 2007 by ThisBeMe

25. what about "no adverse affects" don't you get?????

Posted at 12:14AM on Nov 21st 2007 by Lindy

26. no adverse affects!!!!!

Posted at 12:16AM on Nov 21st 2007 by hottest girl

27. Such sad new to happen to the Quaid Family, my prayers are with them & for their little babies. Yes, mistakes happen but that's why these Nurses need to double check the dosage before giving the meds to the babies & patients. That's their job & if there's an error they need to contact the doct asap to get the right dosage. I work in the ER @ my local hospital, believe me, we are always reminded to double check the meds before adminsitrating it to our patients.

My wish is for the babies to be well & go home to their momma & daddy. But sadly, in the news an hr ago, they are not doing well, they are fighting for their lives. The meds they are using to counter the over dosage of heparin is not taking.

Posted at 12:18AM on Nov 21st 2007 by cece

28. It almost sounded like Nick Hogan - they just got a bump on their head.

I'm still praying for them!

Posted at 12:24AM on Nov 21st 2007 by what evah!!!

29. This guy must be smoking crack because I would imagine that someone in the hospital being a newborn is at a compromised situation regarding their health to began with. 2nd. They get injected with wrong dosages. Not just the two of them, but others as well.
These poor PEOPLE, NOT JUST THE BABIES will have to live with this poison for the rest of their lives!
Meanwhile, WHAT ABOUT THE NEGLIGENT NURSE? IS SHE IN JAIL? FIRED? SORRY?///

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE!!!
PLEASE, TELL ME THIS IS A CRUEL JOKE!!!!!!!!

Posted at 12:25AM on Nov 21st 2007 by NeverNeverLand

30. come on now the crap about O.J. was totally made up.

Posted at 12:26AM on Nov 21st 2007 by hottest girl

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