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Use available resources when standard of care issues arise from colleagues

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Richard L. Lindstrom

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — When a patient does not receive proper care from a prior physician and it happens more than once, there are resources that can be helpful based on the situation, Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, said during a panel discussion at Hawaiian Eye 2019.

Panelist Kendall E. Donaldson, MD, MS, who described seeing three patients from one such doctor, said that the cases can quickly add up.

“It’s really awkward because he’s a colleague, and it’s a tough decision on what to do, but you have the responsibility to patients,” Donaldson said. “You also don’t want the reputation of a whistleblower, and you don’t want the liability.”

Kendall E. Donaldson

Mark Kontos, MD, suggested obtaining counsel and to approach the physician with other colleagues to assess the situation.

“I think in this case, that’s where you and other colleagues are starting to see something that’s not occasional, but a regular thing,” Kontos said.

This is a problem the consultative ophthalmologist deals with frequently, Lindstrom added.

“The first thing is, if it’s a doctor who is practicing with good will, educate them. But when it becomes blatant, there are resources that can be helpful,” Lindstrom said.

He recommends letting the state board of medical practice know, and they will conduct a thorough investigation.

“I think that’s worth doing if it’s something you really believe is blatant,” Lindstrom added.

The American Academy Ophthalmology has an ethics committee that is active, and they will do a thorough investigation as well, he added.

“That’s the route I would personally take,” Lindstrom said. “I’ve seen it happen both internally and externally.”

“We have had to ask associates to stop doing surgery,” Lindstrom added. “We sometimes hear from our scrub nurses and we sometimes view it ourselves. We sit down with the surgeon and address it.”– by Abigail Sutton

Reference: Simerson CS, Shuren AW, Donaldson KE, Kersten DH, Kontos M, Lindstrom RL, Yeu E. Stories of sleepless nights. Presented at: Hawaiian Eye; Jan. 19-25, 2019; Waikoloa, Hawaii.

Disclosures: Donaldson, Lindstrom and Kontos report no relevant financial disclosures.