Uncovering a New York OB/GYN’s Decades-Long History of Malpractice Claims

Families devastated by the alleged malpractice of OB/GYN Dr. Thomas J. Byrne, whose New York medical license was revoked in 1991 due to charges such as gross negligence and incompetence, have faced ongoing distress as Dr. Byrne, despite obtaining subsequent medical licenses in New Mexico and Oklahoma, had his New York license reinstated in 2014. Numerous lawsuits and claims of negligence followed, including a lawsuit as recent as December 2020, highlighting systemic failures in oversight and regulatory mechanisms that allowed Dr. Byrne to practice and potentially endanger numerous lives.

Mothers who were injured or died under the care of a New York doctor have been reeling for decades.

As reported by Gothamist, in 1991, OB/GYN Dr. Thomas J. Byrne was found to be guilty of several charges such as gross negligence, gross incompetence, obtaining a license fraudulently, practicing the profession fraudulently, and other egregious charges after an investigation by the Board of Professional Medical Conduct (a branch of the New York health department).

One mother testified about what had happened to her and her daughter under Dr. Byrne’s care in 1989. The mother, who was severely pre-eclamptic the day before giving birth, almost died. Dr. Byrne advised the mother to go home instead of admitting her to the hospital. The baby, who had suffered from cardiopulmonary arrest, birth asphyxia, and profound sepsis, lived a mere 23 hours. The state concluded that Dr. Byrne “failed to meet acceptable standards of medical care” 15 times during the mother’s prenatal appointments and while in labor.

After New York revoked Dr. Byrne’s medical license in 1991, Dr. Byrne was somehow able to obtain a medical license and practice in New Mexico in 1992. Later, he practiced Oklahoma. By 2014, Dr. Byrne remarkably had his New York license restored without any restrictions—much to the chagrin of Dr. Byrne’s former patients. His former colleagues also raised questions about his quality of care.

Then, in December 2020, Dr. Byrne delivered a baby boy in at Harlem Hospital in Manhattan. According to the malpractice complaint subsequently filed against Dr. Byrne, the infant was cut down his lower back and buttocks with a surgical instrument during a C-section, allegedly due to negligence by Dr. Byrne  in failing to correctly identify the baby’s position and failing to use the proper surgical tools.

Dr. Byrne’s apparent pattern of malpractice resulted in multiple lawsuits filed against him and restrictions of his privileges in many hospitals. Shortcomings on part of multiple entities—including state licensing boards and national databases—have allowed Dr. Byrne to continue practicing, putting many families at risk.

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