Military News
02-18-2010, 07:02 PM
02-18-2010 06:17 PM
The National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., is reviewing the medical care provided to Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., during gallbladder surgery on Jan. 28. Murtha died Feb. 8.
The “in-depth standardized quality assurance review” of the care Murtha received is required when a patient dies at the facility or if there is an adverse event during that care, Navy spokesman Cmdr. Danny Hernandez said Thursday.
Hernandez said he had no information on how long the review would take or how many reviews of this type are done annually.
After Murtha died, his close friend and fellow congressman, Rep. Robert Brady, D-Pa., told Navy Times that Murtha’s death was likely the result of an inadvertent cut to his intestine during laparoscopic surgery. Brady said he had been told by Murtha’s staff that the small nick caused an infection.
Murtha was hospitalized at Virginia Medical Center in Arlington, Va., two days after the surgery. He died there from what Virginia Medical Center called “major complications from surgery” at the first hospital.
Although recovery issues are not uncommon following gallbladder surgery, serious complications occur in fewer than 1 in 1,000 cases, according to the American College of Surgeons.
Murtha, who was the first Vietnam combat veteran to serve in Congress, was known for his support of the troops and defense industry during his 36-year career. He brought billions to his district as chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.
The medical review is a multi-level process that includes a mortality and morbidity conference, quality assurance investigation by an uninvolved subject matter expert, review by multi-disciplinary patient safety committee, and consultations with Navy medicine and outside experts as required.
“These guys are constantly monitored and are always doing peer reviews to ensure safe and quality care,” he said.
Related reading
• Rep.: Surgical nick led to Murtha’s death (http://www.militarywoman.org/forums/news/2010/02/navy_murtha_surgery_020910w/)
• Murtha, powerful troop advocate, dead at 77 (http://www.militarywoman.org/forums/news/2010/02/military_murtha_dead_020810w/)
More... (http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/02/navy_murtha_death_021810w/)
[Clicking on more will open up a popup box with the complete news story from the news source. MilitaryWoman.org is not responsible for content.]
The National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., is reviewing the medical care provided to Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., during gallbladder surgery on Jan. 28. Murtha died Feb. 8.
The “in-depth standardized quality assurance review” of the care Murtha received is required when a patient dies at the facility or if there is an adverse event during that care, Navy spokesman Cmdr. Danny Hernandez said Thursday.
Hernandez said he had no information on how long the review would take or how many reviews of this type are done annually.
After Murtha died, his close friend and fellow congressman, Rep. Robert Brady, D-Pa., told Navy Times that Murtha’s death was likely the result of an inadvertent cut to his intestine during laparoscopic surgery. Brady said he had been told by Murtha’s staff that the small nick caused an infection.
Murtha was hospitalized at Virginia Medical Center in Arlington, Va., two days after the surgery. He died there from what Virginia Medical Center called “major complications from surgery” at the first hospital.
Although recovery issues are not uncommon following gallbladder surgery, serious complications occur in fewer than 1 in 1,000 cases, according to the American College of Surgeons.
Murtha, who was the first Vietnam combat veteran to serve in Congress, was known for his support of the troops and defense industry during his 36-year career. He brought billions to his district as chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.
The medical review is a multi-level process that includes a mortality and morbidity conference, quality assurance investigation by an uninvolved subject matter expert, review by multi-disciplinary patient safety committee, and consultations with Navy medicine and outside experts as required.
“These guys are constantly monitored and are always doing peer reviews to ensure safe and quality care,” he said.
Related reading
• Rep.: Surgical nick led to Murtha’s death (http://www.militarywoman.org/forums/news/2010/02/navy_murtha_surgery_020910w/)
• Murtha, powerful troop advocate, dead at 77 (http://www.militarywoman.org/forums/news/2010/02/military_murtha_dead_020810w/)
More... (http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/02/navy_murtha_death_021810w/)
[Clicking on more will open up a popup box with the complete news story from the news source. MilitaryWoman.org is not responsible for content.]