Drug doses, deaths spur 26 lawsuits against doctor, hospital

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — At least 26 wrongful-death lawsuits are now pending against an Ohio hospital system and a doctor accused of ordering excessive doses of painkillers for dozens of patients who died.

The newest cases allege Dr. William Husel (HYOO'-suhl) ordered outsize fentanyl doses for 40-year-old Ryan Hayes in April 2017 and 37-year-old Brandy McDonald in January 2018.

The Columbus-area Mount Carmel Health System found Husel ordered potentially fatal drug doses for 29 patients over several years. It says five may have been given that pain medication when there still was a chance to improve their conditions with treatment.

Mount Carmel fired the 43-year-old Husel in December and publicly apologized for the situation. Husel remains under investigation .

In responses to some earlier lawsuits, Husel's lawyer denied Husel negligently or intentionally caused patients' deaths.