Oct 09, 2009 | 7 Comments
Case Synopsis
Not So Fast
Carol was an unfortunate lady who suffered from developmental disability. Although an adult, she had the mental and emotional capacity equivalent to someone who was 14 years old. Even with her disabilities, Carol was the mother of two teenagers. But as a single mother, she struggled financially.
It was May of 2002 when Carol sought medical treatment for some problems she was having. She had a shoulder injury and had pain in her lower back that just didn’t seem to go away. To make matters worse, she also suffered from anxiety and depression. The doctor that she saw, Dr. Hathaway, treated her pain with Vicodin, her depression with Prozac, and her anxiety with Valium and Xanax. Dr. Hathaway also treated Carol’s two children for unrelated issues.
The “New” Treatment
A year later in the summer of 2003, Carol continued to have back pain. Could there be stronger medications? Or were there newer, more effective treatments?
Sep 24, 2009 | 1 Comment
Case Synopsis
Not all medhaps involve actual harm. This week’s case is a tad different. Here’s what happened:
Dr. Fortuna worked for a medical group in Alabama from June 1, 2007 to November 30, 2007. His primary duty was to conduct interviews using a one or two page form to approve and recommend patients involved in automobile accidents for chiropractic treatments.
In a normal typical situation, a person involved in an accident may suffer from injuries such as back and neck pain. Usually a physician would evaluate and examine the patient to determine what may be wrong. In that process, the doctor may conclude that the patient needs chiropractic manipulations and refer appropriately. The patient then goes and finds a chiropractor who bills the insurance for the services.
Sep 17, 2009 | 1 Comment
Case Synopsis
Early Symptoms
On January 24, 1996, Stacy started feeling ill and checked herself in at a local emergency room. She was suffering from pains in the upper stomach area on and off for the past day. 
These pains would radiate to her back and shoulders and it felt like it was burning with some pressure. She felt bloated, nauseated, and had vomited a small amount.
At the emergency room, she had her blood pressure, temperature, and pulse checked, which were all normal. She was 59 years old at the time.
The Workup
Dr. Edwards was the doctor working in the emergency room that day. He saw Stacy and ordered a bunch of tests: a chest x-ray, an EKG, and an array of labs. The labs, including tests to detect a possible heart attack, came back all normal. The chest x-ray was also normal. The EKG however showed possible left heart atrial enlargement and myocardial ischemia.
Sep 10, 2009 | 4 Comments
Case Synopsis
The Beginning
Dr. Tode gave the phrase, “have fun at work”, a whole new meaning. As it came to be in the 1990s, Dr. Tode was just a medical student on the island of Granada, which is located in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. After finishing medical school, Dr. Tode entered an internal medicine residency program in New York.
During his residency training which likely lasted three years, Dr. Tode somehow was able to entice five adult female hospital staff members to have sex with him. The records do not indicate whether these were nurses in a patient bed or with the front desk clerk in the janitor closet. Nonetheless, when Dr. Tode wasn’t busy trying to woo the ladies in hospital uniform, and supposedly when he wasn’t preoccupied with actually seeing patients, he would pass his time by browsing pornography on the hospital computer.
That’s when his dirty little secrets began to unravel—Dr. Tode was caught and reprimanded by his residency program. If things had just ended there, we may not of had a great case to discuss. That said, there is a lot more…
Sep 03, 2009 | 2 Comments
Case Synopsis
In what at first seemed to be a simple case, when we dug a little deeper beneath the surface, we were surprised at what we uncovered. (You’ll notice that the actual case files are 21 pages long!)
About Dr. Dunham
Having graduated from medical school in 1969, Dr. Dunham entered the Navy family practice residency until 1973. He then started but did not finish a residency in psychiatry and a fellowship at the Reproductive Biology Research Foundation. 
In 1975, Dr. Dunham became certified as a sex therapist and sex educator. It was this time when he opened a private practice training therapists as well as treating psychiatric patients.
Next door to his office was a business that offered electrology services for removal of body hair. There was also a dermatologist in the building who would give lidocaine injections to the electrologist’s clients if they wanted an area numbed (like a bikini line or on the face) before she performed the hair removal procedure.
Innocent Beginning
Around 1987, the electrologist, Lauren, asked Dr. Dunham if he would be willing to inject her patients with lidocaine. He agreed. Over the years, he averaged about two or three patients a week. In 1994, Dr. Dunham reduced the size of his practice. In addition, his lease was up and did not want to sign another seven-year lease. Coincidentally, Lauren was moving office locations, so an agreement was made for Dr. Dunham to rent some of her space. He continued to provide services to Lauren’s clients as needed.
Aug 27, 2009 | 7 Comments
Case Synopsis
An Unwanted Pregnancy
Zoey was just 18 years old when she suffered one of the most traumatic experiences of her life. Pregnant and not knowing the date of her last menstrual period, Zoey visited a Women’s Center for an elective termination of pregnancy. 
On that date, July 17, 2006, Zoey paid $800 as down payment for the abortion procedure. Two ultrasounds were performed which showed her as 23 weeks pregnant. She was asked to visit another clinic in North Miami where she would be further evaluated for the procedure.
The Doctor Visit
Two days later, Zoey went to see Dr. Churchill at the North Miami Clinic. During that visit, Dr. Churchill examined Zoey and placed a medication called Laminaria into the cervical canal. He also prescribed her Motrin, Cytotec, and an antibiotic, and told her to go to the “Hialeah Clinic” the next day at 9 am. He would be performing her procedure at 2 pm. It is interesting to note that Dr. Churchill was not board certified in any specialty.
Aug 20, 2009 | 1 Comment
Case Synopsis
It’s Just Reflux
Having a long time physician tends to be a good thing. But this may not always be the case. Way back in 1979, Gerald* was having difficulty urinating, constipation, among other medical ailments.
One particular problem that Gerald brought up to Dr. Binkley* was that he was having “heartburn” and stomach pain. 
Sometimes he would choke, cough, and experience chest pain. He was diagnosed with “reflux esophagitis”. Despite ongoing complaints, no diagnostic studies were performed to find the cause of these symptoms until nearly 8 years later in 1987.
Let the Tests Begin
In March of 1987, Dr. Binkley ordered some x-rays which showed a mass in his esophagus. Dr. Binkley’s opinion at the time was that it was probably benign. Nothing to worry about–he would perform another esophagram in two months…except that this was never done.
