N.Y. Hospital Fined $20,000 After Deaths of 2 Patients
A New York City hospital was fined $20,000 on Friday in the deaths of two patients, and sources familiar with the matter said Olivia Goldsmith, author of “The First Wives Club,” was one of them.
Goldsmith, 54, died after suffering a heart attack during cosmetic surgery on Jan. 15. Goldsmith, whose legal name was Justine Rendal, had gone in for an operation to remove loose skin under her chin.
The New York Department of Health said it fined Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital for “serious breakdowns” in patient care in its anesthesia and plastic surgery departments.
The department said it found 10 violations of the hospital code in the two deaths and imposed the maximum fine for each. Among the violations, the department said, were inaudible alarms, which should have warned of significant changes in the conditions of the patients.
The hospital said in a statement it has taken steps to “address anesthesia management of cosmetic surgery patients.”
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
