Hospital Fires 23 Employees In Case Of Excessive Doses, Deaths

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio hospital system says it's firing 23 more employees and changing leadership after investigating excessive painkiller doses given to dozens of patients who died.

The Mount Carmel Health System announcement Thursday comes five weeks after the Columbus-area doctor accused of ordering the doses, William Husel, pleaded not guilty to murder charges in 25 deaths.

Mount Carmel says the newly fired employees include five physicians, nursing and pharmacy management team members. The CEO says he is resigning this month, and the chief clinical officer is retiring in September.

Mount Carmel fired Husel earlier. His lawyer says Husel was providing comfort care to dying patients, not trying to kill them.

Nurses and pharmacists who administered or approved the drugs aren't being prosecuted, though dozens were reported to professional boards for review.

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