Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz Jr., a Dallas anesthesiologist with a lengthy arrest record, is reportedly linked to Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas, which closed its doors this week after allegedly drug-contaminated IV bags were given to patients.
Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz Jr., who is not board-certified, was subject to at least two distinct Texas Medical Board disciplinary actions, both of which included the assessment of fines.
The most recent instance for which Dr. Ortiz received a reprimand and a fine was concluded on August 19, 2022. Documentation of the incident states that in November 2020, Ortiz was performing anesthesia for a patient who then required CPR and emergency transport for intensive care.
The Texas Medical Board determined that Ortiz had “failed to meet the standard of care for one patient during a procedure in which [he] performed anesthesia.”
The board claimed Ortiz “did not recognize the patient’s inadequate oxygenation and ventilation,” alleging that he “did not respond to the patient’s issues in an appropriate manner.”
Following the incident, he also allegedly failed to properly document its occurrence.
Ortiz received a resultant adverse recommendation from the Medical Executive Committee (MEC) at North Garland Surgery Center (NGSC) and was handed an “administrative penalty in the amount of $3,000.”
The physician then relinquished his medical staff membership and all clinical privileges at NGSC.
This was not the first disciplinary action Ortiz received from the Texas Medical Board. Previous to this patient-related incident, Ortiz was disciplined in connection with one of a series of arrests that were listed in a hearing before the board, all of which were related to alleged domestic abuse dating back to more than 27 years ago.
Around June 11, 1995, Ortiz was arrested for Assault Causing Bodily Injury to a Spouse, a Class A Misdemeanor. He and the alleged victim later divorced and settled for an undisclosed sum.
Approximately 10 years later, around September 19, 2005, a second female partner filed for an emergency protective order against Ortiz, alleging that he had assaulted her.
Ortiz was later arrested on December 30, 2014, on charges of Assault Involving Domestic Violence against a third alleged victim, another Class C Misdemeanor.
The following month, in January 2015, the third alleged victim also filed for an emergency protective order and later settled with Ortiz for an undisclosed sum.
Around June 15, 2016, a Collin County jury found Ortiz guilty of Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals, a Class A Misdemeanor, and a crime of “moral turpitude.”
Documents from the Texas Medical Board state that Ortiz had shot his female neighbor’s pet dog with a pellet gun in retaliation for helping the third alleged victim of domestic violence escape him and testifying against him at the protective order hearing.
Ortiz was fined $4,000 and sentenced to 25 days in the Collin County Jail, which was remanded to two years of community service.
As a result of the conviction, Ortiz was prohibited from engaging in harassing or threatening behavior, owning or carrying weapons, and using drugs or drinking alcohol.
He was also required to submit to random drug testing and ordered to participate in an Anger Management Program, as well as pay the associated court costs and $505 in restitution for veterinary bills.
On July 13, 2016, the Medical Executive Committee at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Garland administratively suspended Ortiz’s clinical privileges for two weeks after he failed to notify the hospital of his misdemeanor criminal charges and subsequent conviction.
Despite attempts to appeal the verdict in 2018, his conviction and sentence were upheld by a court of appeals.
Amid the most recent disciplinary action against the physician from the surgery center, an investigation appears to be underway regarding the potentially tainted IV bags.
Baylor Scott & White’s Surgicare center reportedly invited police to investigate after at least one patient was injured or killed, possibly due to a contaminated IV bag.
Currently, the death of a doctor at the hospital, Melanie Kaspar, is under investigation in connection with the IV bags.
Dr. Kaspar, who had been treated as a patient at the surgery center, died after being discharged to her home, with reports initially presuming her cause of death to be a heart attack. However, her cause of death was later determined to be the toxic effects of the drug bupivacaine.
She had used an IV to administer fluids to herself because she was feeling dehydrated, according to NBC Dallas.
The FBI told The Dallas Express that the Dallas Police Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office are investigating the matter.
This story is developing and The Dallas Express will continue to report on it as further information becomes available. Updated coverage will be added below.
September 9: Ortiz’s medical license is suspended.
September 14: Ortiz is arrested in connection with the investigation into the tainted IV bags.
September 15: Ortiz is charged for allegedly tainting IV bags.
September 16: Ortiz makes his first court appearance.
October 4: Baylor Scott & White Surgicare in North Dallas reopens after temporary closure.
October 5: A grand jury indicts Ortiz on 10 federal counts.
October 25: Baylor Scott & White reportedly bills patient who experienced a cardiac emergency for administration of an allegedly tainted IV bag.
November 2: Ortiz files motion for release.
November 16: Prosecutors file motion for Ortiz to remain in jail while awaiting trial.
November 18: Ortiz’s motion for release is denied.
For more Dallas crime-related news, see how Councilmember Gay Donnell Willis’ District 13 saw a 23.1% increase in year-over-year Crime Score for August.
“Dr.” Ortiz should have had his license revoked a long time ago. Five disciplinary actions that date as far back as 1995? Shame on Baylor, Scott and White.
Yet a nurse does one error and there life is over license revoked
Truth….they don’t give nurses chances like this…ridiculous and crazy
I don’t know why this comment is flagged but it shouldn’t be! It’s correct, you let a nurse make one mistake and it’s done! Drs make multiple and pay fines. It took multiple times Dr. Diamond in Grayson County was reprimanded and continued to practice before he ultimately ended up in Federal prison. He was an anesthesiologist/pain clinic owner. He was linked to multiple deaths
Right. Such bs. Guess a doc brings in more cash than a nurse.
Baylor? Isn’t that the same hospital where Dr DEATH killed patients??? 🤯😱😱
First off, this isn’t so much on Baylor like you think it is. Anesthesia groups are contracted to facilities, not hired one by one like a nurse at the facility would be. Therefore, the background checks are the responsibility of the anesthesia group. Dr. Ortiz owned and directed his own anesthesia group with CRNAs working for him. So he vetted himself. How was Baylor suppose to know that?
No, this facility like all others – whether they have a contracted anesthesia group or not – have a credentialing process for physicians where this should have been known. This process is rigorous if done right. Baylor should have known and for whatever reason didn’t. It will come out in the end. I’m a physician who has been through the credentialing process many times over the decades I practiced.
Also, this facility does not have a contracted anesthesia group. This anesthesiologist worked there because a surgeon (or more than one) wanted him there. Baylor’s system allowed him to practice there at a surgeon’s request. Ask the surgeon why…
Absolutely correct. You credential for the hospital and the anesthesia group. Actually the fact that he’s subcontracted makes it an even easier process to get rid of him. There’s a lengthy process of performance improvement plans. Any contractor can be terminated without cause which is what usually happens to physicians when there are questionable outcomes. Hence another facility just picks them up and so on. This is the usual politics of physicians policing themselves.
I am becoming less and less inclined to trust the medical professionals who are supposed to …First, do no harm.
100% correct. All facilities especially ones that belong to huge health care systems have arduous credentialing processes. The facility/ Baylor/USPI all know very detailed information about who is on their medical staff.
Thank you!
$$$
It is incredibly alarming that a hospital who se name, reputation and liability are attached to doctors that are not being carefully vetted or overseen to ensure patient safety,
It’s very simple. You do what every HR dies across the country. You research their criminal history. He had a very long disturbing criminal history.
Medical credentialling for privileges at any ASC
Baylor better figure it out quickly. Texas is become a dumping ground and unqualified doctors with low malpractice liability caps and a little oversight.
I want to know how Baylor isn’t supposed to know that?! Even though they contract outside labor even the company they contract with should be reputable! I don’t care if he owned his own business, shouldn’t Baylor know the COMPANY’S BACKGROUND! My goodness anyone can start a business.
No background check for this sociopath’s application for contracted services? Whoever contracted him/his group was totally negligent. Oh wait…hmm…Risk Management is now involved and its a sentinel event and “what did we learn from this?”… another slap on the wrist? His contract terms were probably a fraction of the cost of the competing group. Perhaps another result of “cleaning out” the best and cost-cutting to profit? I hope he is tossed into the slammer with license revoked until eternity. He needs to clean toilets from now on. Horrible that lives were lost due to his misconduct and deliberate mal-intent..
Not true. Facilities credential practitioners individually, not as a group.
They have a duty to patient care- It is their responsibility to know backgrounds on EVERY person caring for their patients!
The Texas Medical Board is the entity designed to protect the public from this guy. They are the only ones that can take a license. No facility can revoke an MD license. They can simply say “you can’t practice and take care of patients here”. So, they’re free to go somewhere else and practice at any place that will let them.
Kasey PattenRN
What’s not being said is the 22 deaths that have been linked to him. This is another doctor death situation
I’m not seeing any other articles about this, I tried googling. I wonder why it’s not a bigger story here in the metroplex? Also 22 other deaths?? Omg! I am having surgery on Monday and am very scared now on top of regular nerves.
on Labor Day?
There weren’t 22 deaths. One death of a dearly loved anesthesiologist. Get your facts straight.
Would you be able or willing to share any information you have regarding the other deaths?
There aren’t 22 other deaths. My dear friend was the only death. You don’t know what you’re talking about, and just spreading water cooler gossip. Stop
Omg! What? 22 deaths?? Sweet Jesus how does he have a license? Why isn’t he in prison already!!
So typical. Doctors protecting doctors. It’s amazing how unsafe they are, but the docs stick together. So shameful! If a nurse could have been blamed for this, the RN would have! So disgusting!
I would imagine other Doctors would not be defending him, but his own Attorney.
I don’t see any facts. How are the IV’s linked to anyone? What we’re the IV’s tainted with? Is her death proven to be linked to an IV or is there another cause? ie covid vaccines causing blood clots, strokes and heart attacks. Quick to judgement. Has anyone fact-checked this article with the Texas Board? It’s easy to do? Look up his license online. It’s open records. Just accept opinion as fact based on titles thrown around and personal bias. If he’s guilty, let the him be proven so. This is just advocacy and attempts to form judgment in the court of public opinion. Yes, I would defend him as a doctor until proven guilty. We would all want the same for ourselves.
Hey Dr. Aldous Huxley – This article appears consistent with public information on the Texas Medical Board. Plenty of facts there!
Since the FBI is apparently involved, ask them what the IVs were tainted with, how many IVs were contaminated, what the contaminates were, and where and when each batch was made if multiple contaminates are involved.
Ask why the FBI is involved and if they perhaps have recorded video and records of everyone involved with the patients who had adverse outcomes.
Ask the FBI how rare it is that an IV bag is contaminated with a dangerous drug.
If there were no pertinent facts, do you think the FBI would continue this case?
You’re correct Jeremy
Either a doctor or a doctor’s wife…or mistress. Checking his license can be futile because the hospital must first make the report. They frequently do not. Simply dismiss the doctor from staff and let it be someone else’s problem
They can check for criminal records of repeated cases of domestic violence. That should have been a red flag. Also, a sole practitioner with no peer practice oversight.
Tests on the bags found they contained the local anesthetic bupivacaine, but were not labeled as such, according to the board.
They stated that they found small holes in the iv bags that he had put in a warmer but didn’t label or tell anyone he had done that and it was all caught on camera. Stop trying to blame unethical behavior and practices on Covid please!
In June anesthesiologist Melanie Kaspar, 55, died of cardiac arrest in June after she brought an IV bag home from work and hooked herself up to
Kaspar had brought the bag home because she was feeling dehydrated, and suffered the heart attack minutes after hooking herself up to it
Medical examiners ruled her death was caused by a toxic reaction to the anesthetic drug bupivacaine
Believe me this is not “doctors protecting doctors”
It never has been-
Have you watched Dr. Death?
Doctors want the bad ones out- they hurt patients and they hurt the reputation of the medical community.
But the HOSPITALS and Surgery Centers make big money on their cases.
AND when good doctors try to report them and get them removed they SUE the good doctors.
SO…. This is LAWYERS protecting bad DOCTORS
Watch or listen to Dr. Death.
My father was a longtime friend and partner of the murdered anesthesiologist at PAP. He’s been in contact with her widower since her death. He is sure that this was Ortiz trying to cover up his gross negligence by making the entire hospital, not himself responsible, and she was murdered. He said he could now tell me because the story is “in the news”. This piece aligns with what he told me. I expect an FBI announcement any day now of the charges and his subsequent arrest on murder charges. Conviction, however, is always up to the jury, as it should be.
I actually was curious and did a Google search. If I am not mistaken, she was on staff at the same center? If so, this was deliberate.
The journalist is a joke. She didn’t even research the facts.
She links to the facts in her article. They go right to the Texas Medical Board’s information.
In June anesthesiologist Melanie Kaspar, 55, died of cardiac arrest in June after she brought an IV bag home from work and hooked herself up to
Kaspar had brought the bag home because she was feeling dehydrated, and suffered the heart attack minutes after hooking herself up to it
Medical examiners ruled her death was caused by a toxic reaction to the anesthetic drug bupivacaine
Believe me this is not “doctors protecting doctors”
It never has been-
Have you watched Dr. Death?
Doctors want the bad ones out- they hurt patients and they hurt the reputation of the medical community.
But the HOSPITALS and Surgery Centers make big money on their cases.
AND when good doctors try to report them and get them removed they SUE the good doctors.
SO…. This is LAWYERS protecting bad DOCTORS
Watch or listen to Dr. Death.
I expect Ortiz to be arrested for murder this week and this story to go viral. He was apparently disguising his own patient deaths by creating others in the hospital, drawing attention away from himself, and to the facility. This is from a Baylor anesthesiologist, who was a long-time partner of his latest victim at PAP,, and a friend of her widower. He told me today he could now speak about it because it was “in the news”. Congratulations on being the first to break the story of Dr Death II.
Both were at Dallas Baylor. Apparently Texas has become a haven for physicians who are not able to work anywhere else. Caveat emptor.
Good grief. You should pull this article right now, because if I was that Doctor Ortiz , I would sue you for libel. You have conflated his criminal record with the death of a doctor and possibly other acts from the clinic. You cannot tie these two together without proof I suggest you have your counsel reconsider posting this article. Another Little J journalism mistake.
In June anesthesiologist Melanie Kaspar, 55, died of cardiac arrest in June after she brought an IV bag home from work and hooked herself up to
Kaspar had brought the bag home because she was feeling dehydrated, and suffered the heart attack minutes after hooking herself up to it
Medical examiners ruled her death was caused by a toxic reaction to the anesthetic drug bupivacaine
They do not care. I worked with this quack for years. He was reported to Methodist Dallas for his behavior and it only got me fired. The big facilities do not care. He has always been inappropriate in the OR, rude to people, dangerous, and lewd. I can say that USPI did the right thing the whole way theough
Dr Ortiz should have been out of practice with his lengthy criminal history. It’s getting more and more common that Drs continue practicing after multiple mistakes and reprimands from the medical board. I suggest you know your Dr prior to turning your life over in there care. Prior to your surgery you should get a cal from your anesthesiologist to cover routine intake. RESEARCH your Dr. It’s your life.
So, this sociopath was on staff when we trusted my husband’s life to this staff and surgical center? WOW!!! Baylor Scott and White Should be out of business for allowing this!!!! I want answers!!!!
One of the surgery patients was a woman in her 50’s having a cosmetic procedure done. Another an 18 year old having sinus surgery. A man lost his wife. His wife was a doctor at the hospital. Shame on you Baylor Scott & White! You hired a life long criminal and look what happened! I’m all for second chances but this man has criminal charges for harming 3 women and a dog! My first instinct is to say pay up to the victims whose lives you endangered due to YOUR negligence.. However, there is NO amount of money that could ever compensate for or undo the loss of life you caused!