Echoing this sentiment is Raj Ratwani, scientific director of MedStar’s National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare, who found, in a study, that error rates for diagnostic image orders ranged between 16 and 36 percent at four hospitals, with “wrong-side” mistakes among the most common.

“Providers and vendors have to come together to talk about these issues and solve them. But what cannot happen is to blame the provider for errors that are promoted by the design of the system," he told Politico.

The Rhode Island Department of Health did not issue the subpoenas but is expected to order an immediate hearing into the activities of the physicians, according to a letter of the decree which lists their behavior as “incompetent, negligent or willful misconduct in the practice of medicine” that led to the “rendering of medically unnecessary services” that “fail to conform with standards.”

RI health department spokesperson Joseph Wendelkin says the investigations are required by law but would not provider further comment.

"The Rhode Island Department of Health does not comment on active investigations as a policy," he told HCB News. "We are continuing to work with healthcare facilities in Rhode Island to ensure self-reporting and promote a culture of transparency, accountability, and respect when it comes to health professional investigations."

Rhode Island Hospital did not return HCB News’ request for comment.

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