"In her statement of defence, Williams says “it’s not clear” whether she or a technician entered the clinical diagnosis of ductal carcinoma.
“Regardless, this information was an accurate description of the information provided by the referring physician,” the statement said, adding that Williams carried out her examination of Johnston’s biopsy “in a careful, competent and diligent manner.”
In a cross-claim, Williams is asking that her legal costs be paid by Hotel-Dieu and Leamington District hospitals."
SONJA PUZIC: POSTMEDIA NEWS;
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BACKGROUND: 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, Ontario 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, that there was a crisis in Canadian pathology.
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"WINDSOR, Ont. — An Ontario pathologist is denying any responsibility for a breast cancer misdiagnosis that led to a woman’s unnecessary mastectomy last fall," reporter Sonja Puzic's story published in Postmedia News on July 27, 2010 begins, under the heading, "Ontario pathologist denies responsibility for botched cancer diagnosis."
"Dr. Olive Williams, who is at the centre of investigations into pathology errors in Windsor, has filed a statement of defence in response to a $2.2-million lawsuit launched by Laurie Johnston in March," the story continues.
"Williams denies all allegations against her and said she provided a “clear and accurate pathological diagnosis.”
Johnston had her left breast and six lymph nodes removed by Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital surgeon Dr. Barbara Heartwell last November, only to find out at a followup appointment that she never had breast cancer.
Johnston sued Heartwell, Williams, Hotel-Dieu and Leamington District Memorial hospitals.
The suit alleges Williams, who examined Johnston’s biopsy samples taken at the Leamington hospital, produced a confusing pathology report which contributed to Heartwell’s error.
The top of the report listed a clinical diagnosis of ductal carcinoma, based on initial findings. Further down the page is a pathological diagnosis of fibroadenoma — a benign growth in the breast.
None of the allegations in Johnston’s lawsuit have been proven in court.
In her statement of defence, Williams says “it’s not clear” whether she or a technician entered the clinical diagnosis of ductal carcinoma.
“Regardless, this information was an accurate description of the information provided by the referring physician,” the statement said, adding that Williams carried out her examination of Johnston’s biopsy “in a careful, competent and diligent manner.”
In a cross-claim, Williams is asking that her legal costs be paid by Hotel-Dieu and Leamington District hospitals.
No reply has been filed to Williams’ statement of defence “as her allegations were not unexpected,” Johnston’s Toronto lawyer Barbara MacFarlane said in an e-mail.
By contrast, when Heartwell filed a defence claiming Johnston was never upset about losing her breast unnecessarily and even wanted to have the other one removed after learning she was cancer-free, “Laurie felt it necessary to respond” to the surgeon’s allegations, MacFarlane said.
In court documents, Heartwell has denied negligence in Johnston’s case, but admitted that she misread the final diagnosis in the pathology report.
According to an internal report from the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network released this week, Williams, who analyzed slides for all three area hospitals, made errors in six cases, including one that led to an unnecessary colostomy and another that resulted in an incorrect lumpectomy.
Four errors were caught before any harm was done to the patients.
The report, obtained by the Ontario Progressive Conservative party through a freedom of information request, said that Williams’s errors were partly blamed on cataracts that blurred her vision.
Revelations of pathology errors, Johnston’s case and another unnecessary mastectomy performed by Heartwell in 2001 sparked three investigations. Hotel-Dieu began an internal review and the Ministry of Health conducted its own probe. A report from the lead ministry investigator is expected to be released soon.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is also investigating both Williams and Heartwell."
The story can be found at:
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Ontario+pathologist+denies+responsibility+botched+cancer+diagnosis/3329878/story.html
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be accessed at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
For a breakdown of some of the cases, issues and controversies this Blog is currently following, please turn to:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2010/07/new-feature-cases-issues-and.html
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy16@gmail.com;
