The California Medical Board has placed a physician on five years probation for administering a course of treatment to a patient who was supposed to be in an adjacent hospital bed.
His error resulted in the death of the patient who had received the incorrect treatment.
In September 2020, Dr. Rajeev Manu, a gastroenterologist with 50 years of experience in Bakersfield, California, ordered that an unidentified “Patient 1,” a 67-year-old male suffering from severe COVID-19-associated pneumonia, receive a feeding tube (known as a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, or PEG tube) and undergo an EGD, which can diagnose stomach ulcers.
That treatment, it turned out, had been prescribed for “Patient 2,” another COVID-19 patient in the same room but the next bed, prior to his scheduled transfer to a long-term care facility.
After the procedures, “Patient 1” developed severely low blood pressure, went into hemorrhagic shock from internal bleeding, and died as a result of multiple organ failure.
The state medical board cited Dr. Manu, an independent specialist affiliated with several Bakersfield hospitals, for gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, unprofessional conduct involving dishonesty or corruption, making or signing false documents, creating false medical records, and failing to keep accurate medical records.
In a settlement with the medical board this week, Manu agreed to the charges, but the revocation of his license was stayed and he was placed on probation.
He must complete courses in continuing education, ethics, and medical record keeping, as well as medical and psychiatric evaluations, and he is not permitted to supervise physician assistants or advanced practice nurses.
“Rajeev Manu, M.D. is a Board Certified Gastroenterologist who has been serving the Bakersfield community for over 30 years.
“He has privileges at all local hospitals and treats the community’s most vulnerable population,” said Manu’s attorney, Angela S. Haskins of Los Angeles, in a statement. “When fear and uncertainty set in during the COVID-19 global pandemic, Dr. Manu was present and available in all area hospitals when other specialists were not.
He treated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and related health issues. He never refused a hospital call during the pandemic.”
Haskins stated that “a serious lack of resources and personnel” during the pandemic contributed to a “unfortunate situation” in which the wrong patient received a procedure on that particular day.
“Although the incident was the result of a series of events set in motion by various circumstances, Dr. Manu readily accepted his role in the outcome. “The hospital and Dr. Manu implemented additional safeguards to address the systemic issues that contributed to the incident,” the statement continued.
Manu has readily cooperated with the investigation, she said, and a settlement was eventually reached, allowing him to continue practicing in Bakersfield.
