William Artz: Hospital agrees to develop training program regarding proper insertion of swan ganz catheters

Inner Circle member Bill Artz of Arlington, VA, represented the wife and children of a 68 year old man who died of a hemorrhage as a result of medical malpractice when hospital personnel misdirected a swan ganz catheter which perforated his pulmonary artery.  Rather than filing suit against the hospital, the family agreed with Mr. Artz' suggestion that they write a risk management protocol for the hospital and request a meeting with the physicians, administrator, hospital attorney, and risk management to discuss ways to prevent this malpractice from happening to others.  The protocol included taking an x-ray to verify the location of the catheter before inflating the balloon to measure pressures.  Nurses and residents had been permitted to manipulate the catheter, but with the effected changes in protocol, only credentialed physicians were authorized to manipulate the catheters.  The hospital named a training program for cardiology residents in the decedent's name and purchased a simulation device to be used in their newly instituted training program.  The hospital also invited the wife of the deceased to serve on their advisory committee on patient care.  Although no suit was filed, the hospital allocated $25,000 for their newly instituted training program to help ensure their mistakes would be corrected and the safety of their future patients would be secure.