Florida Doctor’s Severe Penalty Post-Patient Death in Miami
TL/DR –
Dr. Caleb Stalls, an anesthesiologist in Florida, has been fined $10,000 and required to take three five-hour continuing medical education courses following an incident in which a 72-year-old lung surgery patient died. The Florida Board of Medicine’s decision comes two and a half years after an insurance company paid out $1 million in relation to the case. The patient, who had a history of hypertension, diabetes, and cancer, died due to respiratory failure; it was alleged that Dr. Stalls failed to secure an adequate airway, administer Naloxone to restore spontaneous ventilation, and establish an effective plan for addressing respiratory distress or loss of airway.
Florida Doctor Penalized by Medical Board
Dr. Caleb Stalls, a Florida-based anesthesiologist, has been penalized by the state’s Board of Medicine following the death of a 72-year-old lung surgery patient at then-Kendall Regional Medical Center three years ago. This incident led to an insurance payout of $1 million by the anesthesiologist’s insurer.
The Florida Board of Medicine has ordered Dr. Stalls to pay a $10,000 fine and cover $5,853 of Florida Department of Health investigation and case costs. Additionally, he must complete three five-hour continuing medical education courses in anesthesiology, airway management, and risk management.
First Disciplinary Action
This marks the first disciplinary action against Dr. Stalls’ Florida license, which he has maintained since June 2019. Although his license profile lists licenses in three other states, those licenses are currently not active. His Florida license address remains at HCA Florida Kendall, formerly known as Kendall Regional.
Key Issue: Airway Management
The key issue was the alleged mismanagement of the patient’s airway, as stated by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation and the Department of Health’s administrative complaint. These documents pointed to an alleged failure to properly secure the patient’s airway during a bronchoscopy, a procedure that examines the inside of the lungs and air passages. Despite attempts at facial bag ventilation and intubation, Dr. Stalls was unable to alleviate the patient’s breathing issues, leading to cardiac arrest and eventual death due to respiratory failure.
Details of the Surgery at HCA Florida Kendall
The patient, referred to as Patient 1, suffered from hypertension, diabetes, larynx cancer, and a “foreign body” in the right lung. He arrived at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, previously known as Kendall Regional Medical Center, experiencing shortness of breath and a collapsed right lung. Post-bronchoscopy, the patient suffered temporary breathing pauses, requiring respiratory assistance. The Department of Health’s complaint stated that Dr. Stalls did not have an effective plan for addressing respiratory distress or loss of airway.
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