Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires ordered to pay 97 million pesos for patient abuse

A civil court has ordered the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires to pay approximately 97 million pesos in compensation to a 72-year-old patient who was sexually abused by an anesthesiologist in October 2021.

The incident occurred in a pre-surgical room while the patient was partially sedated for a scheduled knee surgery. According to judicial records, the anesthesiologist, identified as R. P. A., approached the patient and committed the assault. The victim attempted to seek help, but her sedated state and the absence of her dental prostheses made it difficult for her to be heard immediately by nursing staff.

The ruling by the National Civil Court of First Instance No. 34 holds both the physician and the medical institution responsible. The court noted that the hospital failed to implement effective preventive measures, despite receiving prior warnings from nursing staff regarding the professional’s conduct.

This civil judgment follows a previous criminal sentence that convicted the doctor, resulting in three and a half years of imprisonment and a permanent ban from practicing medicine. Additionally, the Criminal Cassation Chamber has ordered investigations into two other potential cases of abuse involving the same professional.