Wrong patient almost gets cardiac catheterization

Tampa (FL) General Hospital is conducting an internal investigation after staff members mistakenly started performing a cardiac catheterization on the wrong patient. The man was not harmed, but staff members failed to follow proper hospital policies to identify the patient before the procedure, said hospital representatives. Those who made the mistake "will be subject to the appropriate disciplinary actions," the hospital said in a statement. In announcing the error, Tampa General joined an increasing number of hospitals who choose to apologize for mistakes rather than deny them.