Sheila Jackson Lee: “``Olivia was born with a congenital heart condition.'' She was going into college, but had a condition that caused her…”

“``Olivia was born with a congenital heart condition.'' She was going into college, but had a condition that caused her to go into the hospital. When she went in, she had a small procedure. Her vitals were dropping. Hospital staff waited more than 10 minutes before attempting resuscitation, but it was too late. She remained in a coma and died. Mr. Chairman, I include the article in the Record. Medical Error Leaves Family With Unanswered Questions Research has found that 440,000 Americans die every year from preventable medical errors each year. Olivia was a senior in high school in Santa Monica, California, an accomplished scholar, actress, and musician who had earned early acceptance to Smith College. Olivia was born with a congenital heart condition that was monitored throughout her childhood. The fall that Olivia was supposed to start college, she underwent a routine procedure to help doctors figure out if she could be considered for a surgery that would improve her condition. The procedure was completed without complications, but while Olivia was still under anesthesia, a cardiology fellow- in-training pulled the catheter lines, causing Olivia's heart rate, pulse, and blood pressure to drop rapidly. Even though her vitals were dropping, hospital staff waited more than 10 minutes before attempting resuscitation. But it was too late. Olivia would never regain consciousness and died that winter, never having lived her dream and attending college.…”