Columbus, Ohio-based Mount Carmel West Hospital and three of its pharmacists have been cited by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy for approving or failing to prevent fatal doses of pain medications from being administered to 28 near-death patients, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
The citations come after an investigation into the deaths of patients treated by William Husel, DO, a former intensive care physician at the hospital who is facing 25 counts of murder.
The three pharmacists — John O'Connell, Nathan Kochheiser and Gregory White — could face fines or minor misdemeanor charges. They can request a hearing before the pharmacy panel.
The pharmacists are accused of failing to ensure all of Mount Carmel's policies were followed and failing to review drug orders after they were placed.
One pharmacist, Mr. Kochheiser, is accused of failing to alert supervisors that he approved large doses of fentanyl to two patients.
The hospital is accused of failing to ensure the safe distribution of drugs and failing to ensure Dr. Husel co-signed any verbal orders.
The citations from the board come after it spent 15,000 investigative hours on the case and conducted 23 interviews, according to NBC 4.
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