CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — In light of recent events at Adena Regional Medical Center in Chillicothe, cardiac surgeries have been suspended and two cardiac surgeons have been relieved of their duties. This development comes in the wake of an investigation by NBC4, substantiating previous reports by the Guardian, which had been dismissed by the hospital and some community members as fictitious and tabloid gossip.
Despite refutations by Adena’s authorities and attacks on the Guardian and its staff, the unfolding scenarios underscore the veracity of the media’s intensive coverage on this matter.
NBC4’s thorough investigation involved interviews with affected families who recounted their harrowing experiences. The center of the narrative revolves around Joan Mahley, a 74-year-old patient who succumbed to complications following a bypass surgery conducted at Adena Health. According to Mahley’s daughter, Melanie Green, the surgical procedure which was supposed to last three-and-a-half hours stretched to over eight hours due to a complication wherein an instrument tore Mahley’s heart, as reported by NBC4. The family, left in despondency, lamented the trust they placed in the unknown surgeon, implying a possible different outcome had they sought a second opinion in Columbus.
Similarly, another grievous tale was shared by the family of Linda Montgomery, a 73-year-old who required a triple bypass surgery after being rushed to Adena’s emergency room post a diabetic seizure. Montgomery’s daughters revealed to NBC4 the horrifying discovery of a possibly left-behind needle in their mother’s chest from the surgery’s X-ray reports, showcasing another instance of surgical oversight. Montgomery endured a torturous month before passing away.
As a result of the media’s intense reporting, Adena suspended their heart surgeries effective immediately on Thursday and fired two of their top doctors.
Amid these grave accusations, Missy Janey Brenner, Adena’s Director of Medical Staff Services, initially defended the hospital’s cadre of healthcare providers on social media.
Brenner called the Guardian’s reporting false and that the stories of botched heart surgeries were false.
“It’s been hard for me to stay silent, and so many others. I agree there have been non-journalists (who are an embarrassment to the media career) and it is much like politics, people tend to believe what they want,” Brenner said, attacking the Guardian. “Which is usually the loudest voice. But I think landmines being laid out have been placed in so many facetious directions, it’s just a matter of when something gets triggered they can try to capitalize on it. It’s frustrating for me to know exactly the high quality of providers we have because of the work my office does, but for others to truly not understand the lingo that’s loosely thrown around. All I do know, is that karma is real; and when it hits, there are going to be several people struck by it. However, I can honestly say, there’s not a provider there I would be hesitant to get on the table for a procedure with.”
Now that NBC4 has validated much of what the Guardian has published in their own reporting, Brenner’s comments are proven to be the ones that are false. She has since deleted her remarks.