Laboratory Data

A Death in the Hospital /Laboratory Data

The laboratory findings are displayed on 8 pages. It is significant that the positive urine Toxicology screen for Benzodiazepine taken in the Emergency Room is missing from the chart. The existence of this positive Toxicology was reported in both the transfer note of the intern on 8/26/93 as well as the psychiatric transfer note of Dr. Bongiovi on the same date.

The intern Dr. Berkowitz ordered this test which is designed to determine the presence of a Benzodiazepine like Xanax. Would Dr. Berkowitz and his missing supervisors have appreciated this positive test, they would have realized that Seth’s denial of his use of Xanax (which I had fully reported in the E.R.) was due to Delirium. Tragically, there is no indication that Dr. Berkowitz followed up on the test which he himself ordered.