Year ago, when I lived in Cleveland, Ohio, my wife and I had a dispute with a landscaper. He claimed that what he was cutting were "trees" and we said they were "bushes." The pay differential was significant, so we went to a wise lawyer, and he gave us a lesson to carry with us through life. He said, "If you get into a situation, and it is not going right, get out of it as soon as you can." Over the years, I have followed that advice in other situations, and it has saved me a lot of heart aches. The story related in the WSJ on March 29 relates the "affairs" of a young neurosurgeon who would do well to listen to the above advice.
The complete story is at this link:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703858404576214642193925996.html?KEYWORDS=Vishal+James+Makker , .
Apparently, this surgeon finished his training in 2002, and went to Washington State to practice. Since then, he has been involved in 9 law suites (some settled), investigation by the state board of medicine, investigated by the FBI (the case was dropped), and underwent a divorce. In addition, he preforms a large number of surgeries each year. Now I know he is young, but all that takes an enormous amount of energy.
The major problem he has with his surgery seems to be multiple operations on the same patients. The story begins with an unfortunate patient who had undergone six operations on his back in less than two years. Medicare records (the point of the article) show that he stands out as a common returnee to the same patients.
What I can't understand is how he can even get privileges at a hospital, or even malpractice insurance. I have been on peer review committees, and someone with that record would have gotten to know the members of the peer review committee well.
Reading that article upped my Tums taking, as my stomach cramped in numerous ways. Life it tough, but do you have to make it that way for yourself. "If you get into a situation, and it is not going right, get out of it as soon as you can." My advice, Dr. Makker, is just that. You will live longer.
I like the advise very much. I hope many of us follow that and relieve ourselves of agony.
ReplyDelete