Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Patients in Australia are canceling surgery from doctors with ethnic names amid a patient backlash over the "Dr Death" scandal
"As the scandal unfolds, the Australian Divisions of General Practice has received reports of mounting concern among patients about the quality and qualifications of overseas-trained doctors.
It has reached a point interstate where patients are cancelling surgery due to the 'ethnic inflection' of surgeons' surnames, according to ADGP chairman Dr Rob Walters."
"As the scandal unfolds, the Australian Divisions of General Practice has received reports of mounting concern among patients about the quality and qualifications of overseas-trained doctors.
It has reached a point interstate where patients are cancelling surgery due to the 'ethnic inflection' of surgeons' surnames, according to ADGP chairman Dr Rob Walters."
Posted by Kevin |
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Comments:
The Australians didn't check Patel's references. They didn't check his CV. They didn't check with his previous hospital, nor with the medical board.
The lapse is not the exception, they are finding out. They have had problems with real-live frauds because of failure to check.
Nurses became concerned and tried to speak out. This happened rather quickly. The nurses were ignored at a lower level. They were rebuffed at a higher level. When they threatened to go public with their concerns, they were threatened with jail.
Doctors tried to speak out. The foreign doctors in the area were put at risk for being fired, which would also jeopardize their visa status. There is one doctor in particular on the record who spoke out, because he was a native with an unrestricted license. He actually advised the foreign doctors to lie low for their own safety. There was nothing the government could really do to him.
But they tried anyway, and he indeed WAS threatened for speaking out.
The Australians have something to worry about with their health care, but it's not doctors with foreign names. It's their government health system they should be afraid of.
All this is not only in their press, but there is a government Web site with all the testimony, if you want the raw data.
The lapse is not the exception, they are finding out. They have had problems with real-live frauds because of failure to check.
Nurses became concerned and tried to speak out. This happened rather quickly. The nurses were ignored at a lower level. They were rebuffed at a higher level. When they threatened to go public with their concerns, they were threatened with jail.
Doctors tried to speak out. The foreign doctors in the area were put at risk for being fired, which would also jeopardize their visa status. There is one doctor in particular on the record who spoke out, because he was a native with an unrestricted license. He actually advised the foreign doctors to lie low for their own safety. There was nothing the government could really do to him.
But they tried anyway, and he indeed WAS threatened for speaking out.
The Australians have something to worry about with their health care, but it's not doctors with foreign names. It's their government health system they should be afraid of.
All this is not only in their press, but there is a government Web site with all the testimony, if you want the raw data.
# posted by 
: 10:59 AM
: 10:59 AM
No, it doesn't, now that you mention it.
Not even close.
When I say the Australian whistleblowers were threatened with jail, I mean that literally. Go to the investigation's web site and look it up yourself.
Bad practice would NEVER be suppressed in my hospital like it was there. Based on real-live experience, having seen marginal docs shown the door at my hospital. One that I can think of got his license revoked, another went into remedial education programs, who knows where that doc is now. And the remedial programs, they're all Databank issues.
In a private setting like mine, I can refer away from a doc I don't like. I would have no motivation to refer to a bad doctor.
Also, in any hospital in the USA these days, a Databank query is mandatory. The Australians just didn't bother. That's what THEY say. They knew full well what to do, and they didn't do it. Patel's not the only case like this they had, just the worst.
Again, go to their press sites, go to their government sites, see what they have to say. The only case that I have seen that approaches what they had in Australia is.....no surprise, King-Drew in Los Angeles. Again, GOVERNMENT, with racial overtones as well. Up to and including using the power of government to suppress whistleblowers. Check the LA Times series this past....I think about February or March. As far as I know, they didn't go as far as threatening jail, though.
I find it significant that in the USA, that doc went as long as he did.......at a Kaiser hospital.
When he moved from NY state to Oregon, it was before the creation of the National Practitioner Databank. Now, that same move would have been a LOT more difficult, if he had a Databank issue like he had in New York. With the Oregon Databank entry, moving to another US hospital would have been about impossible. Don't know the man, but I'd say that explains why he left the country.
I've seen stories of whistleblowers in medical settings threatened with being fired, maybe ruining a career somehow, but I've yet to see jail in that setting. You need the power of government for that.
Not even close.
When I say the Australian whistleblowers were threatened with jail, I mean that literally. Go to the investigation's web site and look it up yourself.
Bad practice would NEVER be suppressed in my hospital like it was there. Based on real-live experience, having seen marginal docs shown the door at my hospital. One that I can think of got his license revoked, another went into remedial education programs, who knows where that doc is now. And the remedial programs, they're all Databank issues.
In a private setting like mine, I can refer away from a doc I don't like. I would have no motivation to refer to a bad doctor.
Also, in any hospital in the USA these days, a Databank query is mandatory. The Australians just didn't bother. That's what THEY say. They knew full well what to do, and they didn't do it. Patel's not the only case like this they had, just the worst.
Again, go to their press sites, go to their government sites, see what they have to say. The only case that I have seen that approaches what they had in Australia is.....no surprise, King-Drew in Los Angeles. Again, GOVERNMENT, with racial overtones as well. Up to and including using the power of government to suppress whistleblowers. Check the LA Times series this past....I think about February or March. As far as I know, they didn't go as far as threatening jail, though.
I find it significant that in the USA, that doc went as long as he did.......at a Kaiser hospital.
When he moved from NY state to Oregon, it was before the creation of the National Practitioner Databank. Now, that same move would have been a LOT more difficult, if he had a Databank issue like he had in New York. With the Oregon Databank entry, moving to another US hospital would have been about impossible. Don't know the man, but I'd say that explains why he left the country.
I've seen stories of whistleblowers in medical settings threatened with being fired, maybe ruining a career somehow, but I've yet to see jail in that setting. You need the power of government for that.
# posted by : 2:05 PM
: 2:05 PM
Works fine for me, if you are referring to the link at the top.
By the way, I meant bad practice would "NEVER be covered up" not "NEVER be suppressed".....whatever.
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By the way, I meant bad practice would "NEVER be covered up" not "NEVER be suppressed".....whatever.
# posted by : 10:29 PM
: 10:29 PM
