Texas Surgeon Accused of Manipulating Medical Records to Deny Patients Liver Transplants

Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center has shut down its liver and kidney transplant programs and launched an investigation

A Texas hospital has launched an investigation after learning that a doctor secretly manipulated patient files, making them ineligible to receive liver transplants.

On April 11, Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center said in a statement that one of their doctors admitted to making “inappropriate changes” to patient medical records that “effectively inactivated the candidates on the liver transplant waiting list,” the Houston Chronicle reports.

"Subsequently, these patients did not/were not able to receive organ donation offers while inactive." the statement said.

The doctor has been identified as Dr. J. Steve Bynon Jr., a surgeon at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. The 64-year-old has had a contract to oversee Memorial Hermann's liver and kidney transplant programs since 2011, according to the medical center’s bio.

Officials reportedly launched an investigation after noticing “irregularities” with donor acceptance criteria that were limited to the center’s liver transplant program. Records also show a disproportionate number of patients who have died at the center while waiting for a liver.

In 2023, 14 patients at Memorial Hermann were taken off the center’s liver transplant waiting list because they either died or became too sick, according to data from the Organ Procurement Transplantation Network. Additionally, five patients have either died or became too sick while on the waiting list for a liver transplant so far in 2024.

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A spokesperson for UTHealth Houston tells PEOPLE in a statement that Bynon is “an exceptionally talented and caring physician, and a pioneer in abdominal organ transplantation.”

“Our faculty and staff members, including Dr. Bynon, are assisting with the inquiry into Memorial Hermann’s liver transplant program and are committed to addressing and resolving any findings identified by this process,” the statement added.

Bynon did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Following the allegations, Memorial Hermann immediately shut down its liver transplant programs. The center’s kidney transplant program was also halted as it’s run by Bynon.

“Over the past two weeks, we have been actively working with all impacted patients, families and caregivers from the liver and the kidney transplant programs, following the difficult decision to voluntarily inactivate both programs,” the hospital tells PEOPLE in a statement. “Our primary priority is ensuring continuity of compassionate care for patients who were on the transplant program lists at the hospital. Each patient is being individually contacted by a transplant care coordinator to review ongoing care options, including a seamless transition to another transplant program, where necessary.”

“We are working with University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to make the necessary changes that will allow for the quick reactivation of the kidney transplant program under a different physician leadership structure,” the statement continued. “All program transplant physicians are employed by the University of Health Science Center at Houston and contracted to Memorial Hermann to provide physician services. Our investigation is ongoing, and we continue to cooperate with all regulatory authorities.”

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Read the original article on People.