A lawyer for Ortiz questioned the seriousness of the complaints, nothing that her shopper was capable of maintain his job regardless of them.
DALLAS — An anesthesiologist accused of tampering with IV luggage at a North Dallas surgical procedure middle had beforehand been written up greater than 30 occasions for points at one other clinic, however was capable of maintain his job, in accordance with the testimony Friday at a federal detention listening to.
The nature or seriousness of the “incident reports” against Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz weren’t detailed Friday, however Jeremy Johnston, the previous director of surgical procedure at Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite, mentioned that variety of work-related complaints was excessive for a single doctor to obtain in a three-year interval.
A lawyer for Ortiz questioned the seriousness of the complaints, noting that her shopper was capable of maintain his job regardless of them.
“He’s friends with the CEO, so they did nothing,” Johnston testified.
“We are unable to provide any further information due to the ongoing criminal investigation against Raynaldo Ortiz, Jr.,” mentioned Vince Falsarella, Dallas Regional Medical Center spokesman. “The health and safety of our patients is always our highest priority. Our facility has received the Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award for the past three years, placing us among the top 5 percent of all short-term acute care hospitals in the country, as evaluated by Healthgrades.”
Ortiz faces as much as life in jail if convicted of federal expenses poisoning IV luggage with numerous pharmaceutical medicine final summer time at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas.
Prosecutors mentioned a fellow anesthesiologist died at house after receiving one of many tainted luggage, and 11 different sufferers at Surgicare North Dallas had extreme cardiac occasions after receiving fluids from different luggage.
RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: ‘All that stuff… was a lie’ | In jailhouse interview, North Dallas doctor denies he poisoned IV luggage
Ortiz has pleaded not responsible. In a cellphone interview with WFAA from jail final month, Ortiz mentioned he has achieved nothing fallacious.
“All that stuff that they said was a lie,” Ortiz instructed WFAA.
Prosecutors mentioned that the poisonings started after Ortiz grew to become upset that North Dallas Surgicare directors had launched an investigation in May over him allegedly failing to behave when a affected person stopped respiratory throughout surgical procedure. At the time, he was below investigation for one more comparable incident at Baylor’s North Garland surgical procedure middle, for which he was later disciplined by the Texas Medical Board.
Friday’s listening to was to find out whether or not Dr. Ortiz ought to stay in jail pending trial. An earlier comparable listening to discovered that Ortiz was a flight threat and may stay in jail.
Prosecutors performed a brand new video in court docket Friday, purporting to point out Ortiz eradicating medicine from an anesthesia provide cupboard. Investigators additionally produce other movies of Ortiz allegedly inserting IV luggage in “warmers” outdoors surgical suites simply earlier than luggage utilized in these surgical procedures supposedly brought on crucial cardiac occasions.
Johnston, who testified below court docket order Friday, mentioned he personally felt afraid of Ortiz after the doctor screamed at him and chest-bumped him throughout a dispute at work at Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite.
“He’s retaliatory. He’s aggressive,” mentioned Johnston, who now works at Baylor Scott & White’s North Garland surgical procedure middle, the place Ortiz additionally used to work. “My entire facility’s scared to death. They have said he might come shoot us. I’m scared for my wife and my kids.”
Special Agent Daniel Allgeyer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the lead company investigating Ortiz, testified that a number of witnesses have mentioned they’re additionally afraid Ortiz will hurt them if he’s allowed to go free.
He mentioned one is a nurse on the North Garland surgical procedure middle. He mentioned she instructed investigators that on Dec. 23, 2020, Ortiz berated and yelled at her after she referred to as for emergency assist when a affected person stopped respiratory below Ortiz’s care.
Allgeyer additionally testified that Ortiz probably had entry to tens of millions of {dollars} from his medical apply that he would possibly use to flee the nation if he’s let out.
Ortiz’s legal professional John Nicholson argued that Ortiz isn’t harmful, has a younger son, has no felony convictions on his report and has each incentive to adjust to any restrictions the decide would placed on him.
“Respectfully, I disagree with the defense,” mentioned Chief U.S. District Court Judge David Godbey, who ordered Ortiz held pending trial.
“The defendant is a danger to the community, his co-workers and potential witnesses,” the decide mentioned.
Ortiz is anticipated to go on trial a while subsequent 12 months.
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