WINDSOR CITY COUN. BILL MARRA SAYS THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE HOSPITAL BOARD REINSTATED HEARTWELL'S PRIVILEGES. MARRA SAID THE BOARD'S DECISION TO ALLOW HEARTWELL TO RETURN TO THE OPERATING ROOM LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AFTER SHE WAS SUSPENDED HAS CONFUSED THE COMMUNITY. "I THINK INCIDENTS LIKE THIS CREATE A DEGREE OF UNCERTAINTY AND PEOPLE START TO LOSE FAITH IN THE SYSTEM," SAID MARRA."
CBC NEWS;
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PUBLISHER'S NOTE: During the past two years, this Blog has reported on a crisis in Canadian pathology indicated by serious breakdowns in hospitals in Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Quebec, Saskatchewan and elsewhere in the country. The purpose, beyond seeking review and reform, is to show that the wide-ranging problems with pathology in Canada were not limited to the criminal sector - and that serious errors, sometimes lethal, were being made in reading test results on living patients. In short, to demonstrate that there was a crisis in Canadian pathology.
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"The decision to reinstate Dr. Barbara Heartwell's operating privileges may lead to distrust in the medical system, according to Windsor, Ont., city Coun. Bill Marra," the CBC story, published on March 12, 2010, begins, under the heading "Mastectomy surgeon's reinstatement concerns councillor."
"Marra is the former chair of the board of directors at Hôtel-Dieu Grace hospital where Heartwell performed at least two mastectomies on women who did not have cancer," the story continues.
Windsor city Coun. Bill Marra says the public needs to understand why the hospital board reinstated Heartwell's privileges.
Marra said the board's decision to allow Heartwell to return to the operating room less than three weeks after she was suspended has confused the community.
"I think incidents like this create a degree of uncertainty and people start to lose faith in the system," said Marra.
Marra said he believes the board and the hospital have their work cut out for them if they hope to restore public faith in the institution.
"Because we're going to see a lot of the old feelings come back," added Marra, referring to the 2005 stabbing death of nurse Lori Dupont at Hôtel-Dieu Grace hospital.
'When they go to a hospital, they expect to feel safe."—Bill Marra, city councillor
The hospital was widely criticized for failing to protect Dupont from the man who killed her — ex-boyfriend and hospital anesthesiologist Marc Daniel.
A coroner's inquest urged the hospital to educate employees about domestic violence, and asked for a review of the Public Hospitals Act to examine hospitals' relationships with their doctors.
Seven members of the hospital board held a closed five-hour hearing on Wednesday to decide whether to allow Heartwell to operate again.
All parties involved, including Heartwell, her lawyer and the hospital's medical advisory committee, argued for the same thing — Heartwell's reinstatement.
Dr. Barbara Heartwell, shown here in 2009, will be allowed to operate, but under restrictions in place for three months. Dr. Barbara Heartwell, shown here in 2009, will be allowed to operate, but under restrictions in place for three months. (CBC) Marra said the plethora of rules and policies governing hospitals may make little sense to the public.
"I think average Windsorites, they need to understand what their process is and why they made the decision that they did," said Marra.
Marra said that while he appreciates the difficult position in which Hôtel-Dieu Grace finds itself, the hospital and the health-care system in general need to respond to restore the faith of a community he believes is feeling fragile at the moment.
"When they go to a hospital, they expect to feel safe," Marra said. "They expect that they're going to be dealing with professionals, and they expect that everything that's being done is being done at an excellent level."
Investigations continue
The provincial ministry of health is investigating Hotel-Dieu Grace hospital, and there is an ongoing review of 15,000 pathology reports submitted by Dr. Olive Williams, a pathologist currently under suspension.
In one of Heartwell's mistaken mastectomies the surgeon misread the pathology report. In another, a report showing the patient did not have cancer was available to Heartwell before the surgery, but she didn't see it.
For the next three months Heartwell will be allowed to operate only on elective oncology cases, and only when those cases have been reviewed by another surgeon.
After that, the hospital's medical advisory committee must decide whether to leave the restrictions in place."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/03/12/windsor-heartwell-reaction-100312.html#ixzz0iBoWVHls
The story can be found at:
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/03/12/windsor-heartwell-reaction-100312.html
Harold Levy...hlevy15@gmail.com;
