BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – A California physician has been placed on five years’ probation by the state’s medical board for administering a course of treatment to a patient that was intended for the patient in an adjacent hospital bed.

His mistake led to the death of the patient who received the treatment in error.

In September 2020, Dr. Rajeev Manu, a gastroenterologist with 50 years of experience in Bakersfield, California, ordered that unidentified “Patient 1,” a 67-year-old male suffering from severe COVID-19-associated pneumonia, receive a feeding tube – known as a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, or PEG tube – and undergo an EGD, which can diagnose stomach ulcers. 

That treatment, it turned out, had been prescribed for “Patient 2,” another COVID-19 patient in the same room but the next bed, prior to his planned transfer to a long-term care facility.

After undergoing the procedures, “Patient 1” developed severely low blood pressure and went into hemorrhagic shock from internal bleeding and, after suffering multiple organ failure, he died.

Dr. Manu, an independent specialist who is affiliated with several Bakersfield hospitals, was cited by the state medical board for gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, unprofessional conduct involving dishonesty or corruption, making or signing false documents, creating false medical records, and failure to maintain accurate medical records.

In a settlement this week with the medical board, Manu agreed with the charges, but the revocation of his license was stayed and he was placed on probation. He must take courses in continuing education, ethics, and medical record keeping as well as undergo medical and psychiatric evaluations, and he may not supervise physician assistants or advanced practice nurses.

“Rajeev Manu, M.D. is a Board Certified Gastroenterologist who has served the Bakersfield community for more than 30 years. He holds privileges at all area hospitals and treats the community‘s most vulnerable population,” said Manu’s attorney, Angela S. Haskins of Los Angeles, in a statement. “When fear and uncertainty took over during the COVID-19 global pandemic, Dr. Manu was present and available in all the area hospitals when other specialists were not. He treated patients suffering from COVID-19 pneumonia and associated health issues. He never refused a call from a hospital throughout the pandemic.”

Haskins said “a serious lack of resources and personnel” during the pandemic contributed to a “unfortunate situation” and the wrong patient getting a procedure on that day.

“Although the incident was a coalescence of events set in motion by various circumstances, Dr. Manu immediately accepted his role in the outcome. The hospital and Dr. Manu put into place additional safeguards to address the systemic issues which led to the incident,” the statement continued.

Manu has readily cooperated with the investigation, she said, and ultimately a settlement was reached that allows him to continue practicing Bakersfield.