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Doctor Charged After 'Musical Bingo' During Operation
21 Jan
Summary
- Anesthesiologist charged with manslaughter after patient's death.
- Surgical team played 'musical bingo' during routine cataract surgery.
- Patient stopped breathing during the operation in February 2023.
A Colorado anesthesiologist, Dr. Michael Urban, has been indicted on manslaughter charges following the death of a patient during a cataract operation. Bart Writer, 56, died on February 3, 2023, after he stopped breathing during the procedure at InSight Surgery Center.
Investigators learned that Dr. Urban and the surgeon, Dr. Carl Stark Johnson, allegedly played a game called 'musical bingo' during surgeries. This game involved playing music and associating songs with bingo letters. Allegations also include that medical alarms were turned down or off.
Dr. Urban faces charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. The patient's widow, Chris Writer, described the criminal proceedings as reopening a painful wound. She stated that the entire incident was preventable and is pursuing civil litigation to understand why her husband died.
Chris Writer expressed dismay that Dr. Urban's medical license was not suspended despite her efforts to alert medical boards in Colorado and Oregon. She criticized medical boards for failing to ensure patient safety effectively, suggesting they often act as self-regulating bodies for doctors.
