Texas Surgeon Is Accused of Secretly Denying Liver Transplants

[ok_cpu]

Source: New York Times

Officials began investigating after being alerted by a complaint. An analysis then found what the hospital called “irregularities” in how patients were classified on a waiting list for liver transplants. When doctors place a patient on the list, they must identify the types of donors they would consider, including the person’s age and weight.

Hospital officials said they found patients had been listed as accepting only donors with ages and weights that were impossible — for instance, a 300-pound toddler — making them unable to receive any transplant.

Other transplant surgeons said if the list was manipulated in this way, patients would not be aware of changes in their status.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/us/organ-transplants-houston.html?ugrp=c&unlocked_article_code=1.jk0.hV8n.kHec9NRFjEgx&smid=url-share

[getagrip_already]

1. Something tells me there will be an obvious thread

That connects all the patients he did this to.

Might just take putting their pictures side by side.

[ok_cpu]

2. That would not be surprising

That some colleagues found him arrogant and off-putting is another possible clue.

Serious question, if you're an abdominal transplant surgeon of some renown and a certain inclination, is it better to have patients die waiting for an organ than post-surgery? Is there motivation to deny the tougher cases the opportunity to "damage" your record?

[getagrip_already]

4. Thats possible, but as the head of the department..

I'm sure he could pick the patients he would personally care for. There must be multiple surgeons.

Would he do it to prop up the stats of the department?

Possibly. But doctors have a lot of discretion on how sick a patient they will allocate a rare organ to. This sounds like it was done very early in the process. While the patient was healthy enough to be considered.

No matter. We are just guessing. This guy was messed up. He cost people their lives potentially.

[rpannier]

13. There's a book out titled "The Tyranny of Metrics"

The introduction is a disturbing read.
Doctors will sometimes go out of their way to not treat someone that has less chance of surviving because it reflects badly on their reputation. Many hospitals don't want to "waste" resources on patients that may die within 30-days after surgery

We have this issue in Japan, but it's with the police. They want as few unsolved cases as possible at the end of the month, so they will blow off cases, or categorize them so they're not the result of crimes.
The most famous of these was Shiori Ino in Saitama. The police did everything to not get involved with this case, and when she was murdered the police claimed she was "promiscuous".
The Saitama police are notoriously lazy, incompetent, and useless -- so is a lot of the civil service in the prefecture.

When the truth did come out three senior officers were fired, and 5 or 6 others were demoted -- I think two of them resigned under the intense scrutiny from the locals.

[Archae]

3. Why would he be doing this?

Lazy?

Greedy?

[JoseBalow]

6. My money is on "Racist"

[TxGuitar]

9. For his stats

Very common. Unfortunately.

[LeftInTX]

12. Yes, unfortunately

[moonshinegnomie]

5. since im sure some of his patient sdied due to this charge him with murder

[LetMyPeopleVote]

7. The local news is covering this story

Link to tweet

[LeftInTX]

11. That's awful. It's one of the largest hospitals in the country.

[LeftInTX]

15. My husband had excellent care in the hospital last week.

They're not all bad.

[Demobrat]

16. That doctor probably took excellent care of the patients he wanted to.

[LeftInTX]

17. My husband was in a teaching hospital. He had numerous doctors. My husband is brown just like everyone else here

[Demobrat]

19. Maybe it wasn't race. Maybe it was something else.

Males vs females. Parents vs singles. Occupation. Maybe he favored patients with certain attitudes. Could be anything.

[LeftInTX]

20. People are thinking he was "triaging" based on predicted success rate.

Doctors do this alot. However, they are usually more "up front", but since this a transplant list, it sounds like he was able to get away with keeping it secret.

I've been dumped by doctors. Doctors are super obsessed with liability. They will dump you, if you are a risk to them. I knew women on methadone who could not get prenatal care simply because the doctor didn't want the liability. They can do that and it's not illegal.

If he would have turned them down instead of letting them linger on the transplant list, he wouldn't be doing anything wrong. Doctors have the "right to refuse". However, it is unethical and likely illegal to do what he did without telling them.

[Demobrat]

14. And so his career ends in disgrace....

for what? I would really like to know. I hope we find out.

[DemocraticPatriot]

8. This is an example of the doctors who are STILL in Texas ?

'Nuff said.

[Demovictory9]

10. Weird..is he. An angel of death?

[wss2001]

18. Playing God...

Probably just enjoyed playing God, having the power over who lives and dies. One thing is certain this is going to bring on the mother of all lawsuits!

[Wonder Why]

21. Some surgeons think they are God. Others know they are.

[SARose]

22. It's about Federal grants

Research Focuses on Liver Protection and Regeneration

This is very very serious. An R01 federal grant is usually seed money for a much larger grant. At least two medical journal articles may have been published using his data.

Sooooo the renewal of this federal grant may be in jeopardy depending on his role. Manipulating research data in a federally funded grant is a felony.

The two journal articles may have to be rescinded possibly due to manipulated data. The journals involved are scrambling right now.

After a massive investigation and it is proved his manipulated data was used everyone associated with the grant will be refused further federal funds for life. Everyone associated with the journal articles will be barred from every publishing again.

My heart goes out to the families of the patients who died.

And, no, he is NOT and never will be representative of Texas doctors. Pffft Research scientists and physicians in the Texas Medical Center are engaged in cutting edge research and compassionate care.

[Stuckinthebush]

23. Good point

His NIH research days are over. So is his academic and medical career.