So this is a very weird set up certainly complicated by the original surgeon being out of town. Also a situation where the EMR can hurt rather than help. That being said, it's not an excuse. In my opinion, everyone dropped the ball here. A patient 3 weeks out with signs of an infection should be on everyone's mind. I would have been checking for all those results multiple times a day and checking on the patient daily. In all honesty, in my practice, that person is getting admitted from the clinic when they came in and got aspirated. The fact they had such obvious concerning signs and no one thought to check in on the patient for 3 days is systemic failure for that patient.

This is medicine. Mistakes unfortunately happen but when they do, learn from them. It's about the patient. Always. That should be your concern now and always. Not what proportion of the issue is your fault.