Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital St. Petersburg has been investigated for an unusual number of patient injuries and deaths. That investigation, published in the Nov. 28 edition of the Tampa Bay Times, found that 10 percent of young patients had died last year, and many others wound up with severe and even permanent injuries.

Tragically, many of these casualties appear to have been avoidable.

About Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital St. Petersburg

Ironically, Johns Hopkins has long been a synonym for excellence in medical care. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital St. Petersburg was founded in 1926 as the American Legion Hospital for Crippled Children. It officially became part of the Johns Hopkins Health System in 2011 and took its present name in 2016.

As its name suggests, its focus is pediatric care and the treatment of childhood disorders and injuries. In addition, it is used as a training facility for new pediatricians.

Today, Keven Sowers, the new interim president of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital St. Petersburg,  has said he is putting a moratorium on all open heart surgical procedures “…as we work to earn back the trust of the children, families, and community we serve,” according to The Baltimore Sun.

What Went Wrong?

According to the Times investigations, medical professionals had noted safety issues at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital St. Petersburg in 2015. Among the issues raised were concerns that some surgeons were not qualified to carry out even routine operations, let alone advanced surgery.

However, despite the warnings, hospital management allegedly took no meaningful action until 2017. For most of that year, the hospital offered only simpler types or heart operations – but according to hospital records and interviews with Times reporters, even those didn’t go well, as 11 patients died that year.

Meanwhile, staff concerns over safety went largely ignored as hospital administrators looked the other way, the investigation says. Times reporters discovered incidents ranging from deaths due to infections that went unreported to surgeons who left needles inside a patient’s heart.

A Sense of Betrayal

One parent whose child suffered a stroke following her heart surgery told the Times, “You hear Johns Hopkins, there’s a sense of prestige…you think your child is in the best hands.” Indeed, this was the primary reason that the hospital joined the Johns Hopkins health care system in 2011. Board members at what is today known as Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital St. Petersburg believed that partnering with the Johns Hopkins organization would bring prestige and credibility to the institution.

At that time, the heart surgery program at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital St. Petersburg was considered one of the best in Florida. However, it did not quite measure up nationally. According to former CEO Dr. Jonathan Ellen, the objective was to create a “top-flight, excellent program that could provide unique care for children.”

Today, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital St. Petersburg is struggling to rebuild its tattered reputation – and bracing for lawsuits from grieving parents that are almost certain to be filed in the near future.