Doctor Robert MacArthur Interview
This day, our group were to interview the located orthopedist, Doctor Rob Mac, in response to numerous queries about his personal encounters with surgical errors and burns during surgery, as well as the broader topic of "events that should never occur".
Who is Dr. MacArthur?
Doctor Robert Mac completed his studies from the University of California, Berkeley with a double major in Biochem and Physiology. Throughout his time at the Univ, Doctor Rob Mac had been a renowned player, engaging on both the combat sports and rugby football teams.
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Following that, Doc Robert MacArthur entered at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and was the chosen president of the Columbia P&S (Now known as the Vagelos School of Medicine). Rob Mac proceeded to complete his orthopedic residence at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Dr. Robert MacArthur Addresses the Incidents
Statistically, the frequency of wrong site surgery tends to be a once-in-a-career event for every single bone specialist, but this count jumps to four for each professional career for experts specializing in sports, hand, and spine. Sadly, a lot of of these often do not document these cases, let alone discuss them openly. Doctor Mac carries a deep sense of pride and satisfaction about how he faced these terrible occurrences.
Instead of trying to cover up what happened, Dr. MacArthur handled it differently
Dr. MacArthur’s Handling of the Wrong Site Surgery
Doc Bobby Mac extensively investigated the fundamental root causes of his two incidents, and put out multiple works outlining how to stop these situations
Gradually, gained recognition as a renowned authority in the field of preventable accidents. He's authored two articles in a prominent orthopedic journal, The Journal of Orthopedic Surgery. With the aim of assisting other doctors prevent subsequent occurrences, his first work led the reader through the specific errors that took place that led to the wrong site event.
His second publication, jointly written with Dr. David Ring, broached the topic of the "tendency to shame and blame." Assuming responsibility for these incidents is rare, as the tempting course of action is placing blame on external factors. He stressed that accusations not only prevents surgeons from reporting their incidents but also takes away from the vital analysis of underlying causes that could potentially prevent upcoming events.
The Intraoperative Burn Incident with Dr. Robert MacArthur
When talking about the intraoperative burn incident, Dr. Robert MacArthur displayed the same investigative vigor he applied to his research on wrong-site surgeries. For example, he reached out to the producer of the problematic clamp to ascertain if like burn events had transpired. The producer informed him that the clamp in question had been "ceased production." You can draw your own conclusions from that what you wish.
To avert uneven heating in massive hinged clamps, Doctor MacArthur conducted a comprehensive investigation of the causes behind irregular temperature distribution in large-hinged clamps.
His findings indicated that rapid sterilization could lead to irregular sterilization. He noted that nursing associations highly recommend against the use of quick sterilization unless an emergency situation arises like sterilizing a fallen instrument. Deeper examination revealed that St Joseph's Hospital regularly employing rapid sterilization to ease back-to-back surgeries without having to buy extra equipment trays.
In a bid to stop further burns, Doctor MacArthur informed the hospital at St. Joseph's of potential dangers associated with ongoing utilization of this specific clamp and the routine deployment of quick sterilization.
Instead of blaming the clamp, Dr. MacArthur took responsibility and made it clear that he was responsible for a surgical error. He was advised that the clamp had a high temperature, but when he grasped it, he found the handles to be at a tolerable temperature. Unlike some surgeons who may impatiently use a towel to manage a too-hot clamp, he operated the clamp without any pain.
Shame and Blame, Dr. Robert MacArthur's Response
Regarding The perspective of Dr. MacArthur on response on the topic of the "blame game," he emphasizes how the legal and public communities often confuse the "captain of the ship'' concept with root cause analysis. According to this "in-command" perspective, the surgeon is responsible for any negative occurrences that happen to a patient under their care. This makes it enticing for many to solely blame the surgeon for any surgical errors.
However, Dr. Robert MacArthur stresses that this perspective opposes the principles of identifying underlying causes. This form of analysis aims to thoroughly comprehend what caused a incorrect surgical procedure so as to optimaly stop similar incidents in the future. By turning to blaming and shaming, not only does it hinder proper root cause analysis, but it also prevents other surgeons from disclosing their own wrong site events, fearing the repercussions.
He did not recognize that the large, substantial-sized hinge of the clamp was considerably hotter. When he positioned the clamp against the shin area of the patient's leg, Dr. Robert MacArthur it resulted in a burn. At the time, he was proctored for surgical privileges at Children's Hospital of Orange County during the incident, and not the proctor nor Doctor MacArthur were immediately aware of the burn.
It was not only after he had dictated the operative report that a nurse in the recovery ward noticed a small red area on the anterior aspect of the patient's leg. Even at that point, he did not at first fully grasp the seriousness of the burn.
Dr. MacArthur references the air travel industry as an model case of efficient root cause analysis. From its inception, the industry has aimed to deeply understand the reasons behind each adverse aviation event rather than merely assigning blame to the pilot. Because of this focus on understanding root causes, aviation sector boasts remarkable safety records.
However, Dr. Robert MacArthur laments that medical profession hasn't been able to completely embrace root cause analysis due to prevailing legal and public perceptions surrounding the "in-command" concept. The unfortunate outcome of this is that the incidence of preventable healthcare errors remains unchanged, and the careers and reputations of many healthcare practitioners are unjustly tarnished.
The occurrence of surgical errors remains at an worrying rate of one event per surgeon per career, and as high as four incidents per surgeon's career for specialists in hand, spine, and sports.
Dr. Robert MacArthur “Sexual Harassment” Allegations
In the year 2023, there exists the possibility to raise false accusations against someone, slander their name and reputation, and have no negative repercussions for the accuser. Irrespective of the person facing accusations is innocent or guilty, an accusation alone is enough to bring about long-lasting damage to a professional's reputation.
Dr. Robert MacArthur disclosed that he chose to leave a workers compensation clinic because of possible unlawful practices on the clinic's management. In retaliation, the manager of the clinic reportedly conspired with a patient to fabricate a claim, accusing him of "stripping naked in the middle of the clinic and requesting sex in exchange for a favorable workers comp report.
He received information of this allegation over a year after his departure from the clinic, at which point he asserted on undergoing a polygraph examination. The accuser, however, opted not to take such a test.
Dr. Rob Mac was later notified that both his polygraph examination results and her refusal to participate would be deemed inadmissible in court.
The mediating attorney cautioned him that the jury would likely be composed of "people with similar backgrounds and experiences as her" and not his, meaning a court loss could be highly damaging. Despite the ludicrousness of the claim, he was counseled to settle for $29,000
Conclusion
The California Medical Board examined the accuser's claims and found them to be "lacking credibility," hinting at an ongoing investigation into the clinic. When we spoke to Dr. MacArthur, he suggested that the clinic was indicted, but he did not officially state this.
Regardless of the facts presented above, Dr. MacArthur found no means to erase the accuser's claims from online search listings. Meaning, despite his lack of guilt, the slander campaign was successful.
Considering that the claim does not state that Doctor MacArthur was found guilty, it merely acts as a condensed version of a complaint, which continues to be available to the public
Dr. Robert MacArthur strongly believes that people making false claims should be subject to consequences equivalent to the consequences of the falsely claimed event. To illustrate, he thinks that his false accuser should be considered to be a predator of a sexual nature and felon.
Dr. Robert MacArthur concluded by contemplating the existence of both good and evil in the world, wishing that those who read his account would never cross paths with someone capable of such destructive unfounded claims as he has faced.
Dr. MacArthur: A Renowned Orthopedic Surgeon
Dr. Robert MacArthur is a distinguished orthopedic surgeon acknowledged for his expertise