COLUMBUS – Two lawsuits filed yesterday against the Mount Carmel Health System and Dr. William Husel brings the number of suits filed over Husel‘s alleged ordering of potentially fatal doses of painkillers to eight.
Attorneys say the May 2015 death of 85-year-old Norma Welch prompted one of two lawsuits. Family members says she died at the hospital minutes after receiving two excessive doses of potentially lethal medication ordered by Husel, who doctor is being investigated in connection with dozens of deaths.
The other lawsuit was filed over the April 1 death of Columbus resident Jeremia “Sue” Hodge.
Mount Carmel says Husel ordered excessive amounts of painkillers for at least 34 terminal patients over several years. That raises questions about whether drugs were wrongly used to hasten deaths.
Husel was fired and his medical license suspended by the state. His lawyers aren’t commenting.
Mount Carmel publicly apologized. Twenty other employees are on leave pending investigation.