Massachusetts Surgeon Removed Kidney From Wrong Patient

It was a case of mistaken identity at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester that cost a patient a kidney.

NECN reports that state and federal health investigators have been looking into the incident from July where the wrong patient had their kidney removed at St. Vincent.

The surgeon was supposed to remove a kidney with a tumor in it from one patient, but instead took a perfectly healthy kidney from a patient with the same name.

Authorities say the hospital failed to follow proper patient protocol by checking patient birth dates. The two patients were several years apart in age.

The hospital has been put on notice and told that their Medicare and Medicaid agreements with the government will be terminated unless corrective action is taken.

St. Vincent's says they are taking "all necessary steps" to prevent similar errors.