"WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE REGION, THE MINISTRY AND THE COLLEGE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT PATIENT SAFETY, THE DOCTORS STATED THEY BELIEVE THE WAY THE MATTER WAS HANDLED “WAS PREJUDICIAL AND DAMAGING TO ALL PHYSICIAN RELATIONSHIPS IN THE REGION.”
“WE ARE LEFT WITH THE PERCEPTION OF AN UNSEEMLY EAGERNESS TO INFLICT PUNISHMENT AND PENALTIES. IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE MATTER (OF TSATSI’S COMPETENCE) IS STILL SUBJUDICE. IT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME FOR ANY PHYSICIAN IN SASKATCHEWAN TO FEEL SAFE FROM PERSECUTION BY AN OVERZEALOUS BUREAUCRACY,’’ THE STATEMENT SAID."
REPORTER ANNE KYLE: LEADER-POST;
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Background: Saskatchewan is the province where Dr. Charles Smith was hired on a one-year contract with the expectation that he would eventually become a full-time employee - with the support of a colleague from medical school - to work as a pathologist after he left Ontario in disgrace. (Smith's contact was terminated after news of his employment became public);
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported on May 31, 2009, that: "Questions of competency were raised 2½ years ago about the radiologist (Dr. Darius Tsatsi) whose work has led to an unprecedented review of 70,000 medical images, a spokesman for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan says."
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The support expressed by other Saskatchewan doctors for Dr. Darius Tsatsi is the subject of a story by reporter Anne Kyle published in the Leader-Post on July 24 under the heading, "Dozens of doctors in Sunrise Health Region show support for Dr. L. Darius Tstasi."
"REGINA — Some doctors in the Sunrise Health Region have thrown their support behind Yorkton radiologist Dr. L. Darius Tsatsi whose diagnostic work is being scrutinized as part of a massive medical diagnostic audit," the story begins;
"“We, the physicians of Sunrise Health Region, would like to unanimously support our well respected colleague, Dr. Tsatsi, whom we feel had been treated extremely unfairly by the Sunrise Health Region,’’ the medical staff said in a statement released Friday," the story continues;
"The statement signed by 35 doctors expressed disappointment with how the region handled the review process saying that by publicly releasing Tsatsi’s name before the review and competency hearing processes were completed may have compromised his career.
In May the health region and the Ministry of Health announced a retrospective review had been ordered of more than 69,000 diagnostic images read by Tsatsi during the five years he worked in the region.
The audit was triggered by the findings of a College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan quality assurance review in 2008 of 103 of Tsatsi’s case files that identified a number of variances in the interpretation of some of the diagnostic images.
“Once the college made the health region and the province aware of its concerns, there was an obligation, in the interest of patient safety, to get information out to the public as soon as possible,’’ region spokeswoman Sharon Tropin said.
She added the region’s CEO met with medical staff to inform them of the situation prior to going public.
“I’m not sure how we could have properly informed people without Dr. Tsatsi’s name becoming involved. The fact is, he, himself, had placed his name in the public forum,’’ she said, referring to Tsatsi’s legal challenge of the college’s review process in March, which is a matter of public record.
While acknowledging the region, the ministry and the college have a responsibility to protect patient safety, the doctors stated they believe the way the matter was handled “was prejudicial and damaging to all physician relationships in the region.”
“We are left with the perception of an unseemly eagerness to inflict punishment and penalties. In spite of the fact that the matter (of Tsatsi’s competence) is still subjudice. It will take a long time for any physician in Saskatchewan to feel safe from persecution by an overzealous bureaucracy,’’ the statement said.
While the doctors said they support the quality assurance program, a fair competency review process and the need to inform patients when findings come out of those processes that could potentially harm patients, they disagree with the disclosure of Tsatsi’s name.
Tropin said the region feels for Tsatsi and his family, but also feels for the patients and their families who at this time need assurances that their test results are accurate.
“We are definitely trying to be as open about disclosure of patient safety issues as possible. In this day and age of Internet, and text messaging, information flow, keeping things in a closed environment is neither desirable nor possible,’’ Tropin said.
“In this instance, our obligation was to the patients and to get accurate information to them as soon as possible.’’"
The article can be found at:
http://www.leaderpost.com/health/Dozens+doctors+Sunrise+Health+Region+show+support+Darius+Tstasi/1826344/story.htmlHarold Levy...hlevy15@gmail.com;
Harold Levy...hlevy15@gmail.com;
