Massachusetts Regulators Sanction MetroWest Medical Center Physician for "Missteps" During Surgeries

Massachusetts' Board of Registration in Medicine has permanently restricted the medical license of a former physician of MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham, Mass., for reported "missteps" during surgeries that led to patient complications and death, according to a Metrowest Daily News report.

Kathaleen Porter is now only allowed to assist in surgeries. According to the news report, there were four instances spanning from 1999-2007 in which Ms. Porter's patient care "called into question her competence to perform surgery as the primary surgeon." In one instance, a patient developed complications as a result of a medical error Ms. Porter made during the patient's gastric-bypass surgery. She did not immediately take any action to address the issue, according to the news report.

In another instance, Ms. Porter's "missteps and inaction" led to the death of a man who was admitted to MetroWest Medical Center's emergency room with nausea, vomiting and a mass in his groin, according to the news report.

MetroWest declined to comment on the sanction against Ms. Porter, though the hospital did disclose that it did not reappoint her in 2007 due to competency issues.

Read the news report about Kathaleen Porter.

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