Doctor Robert MacArthur Interview
On this particular day, our team were to conduct an interview with Californian located bone specialist, Dr. Robert Mac, addressing numerous inquiries about his personal experiences with wrong site surgery and intraoperative burn, as well as the broader topic of "never should happen events".
Who is Dr. MacArthur?
Doc Rob MacArthur graduated from the Univ of California, Berkeley with a dual degree in Biochemistry and Physio. During his time at the Univ, Doc Rob MacArthur used to be a well-known sportsman, participating on both various box and rugby football teams.
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Afterwards, Dr. Robert MacArthur registered at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and was elected leader of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (Now known as the Vagelos school of medicine). Rob MacArthur went on to complete his orthopedic residence at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Dr. Robert MacArthur Addresses the Incidents
According to statistics, the incidence of surgical errors tends to be a once-in-a-career event for every single bone specialist, but this count surges to four in each lifetime for sports, hand, and spine specialists. Regrettably, many of these surgeons Robert MacArthur frequently do not document these cases, let alone address them freely. Dr. Mac carries a intense sense of pride and satisfaction about how he dealt with these harrowing occurrences.
Instead of attempting to conceal the incident, Doctor Mac handled it differently
Dr. MacArthur’s Handling of the Wrong Site Surgery
Doctor Bobby Mac completely looked into the fundamental causal factors of his two events, and published numerous works outlining how to prevent these occurrences
Over time, earned acclaim as a recognized specialist in the field of accidents that can be avoided. He's authored a couple of articles in the leading orthopedic journal, The Journal of Orthopedic Surgery. To assisting other doctors prevent upcoming events, his first work guided the reader through the specific errors that happened that led to the incorrect surgical procedure.
The second paper, jointly written with Dr. David Ring, who is also the Chairman of the AAOS, addressed the topic of the "tendency to shame and blame." Assuming responsibility for these incidents is uncommon, as the tempting course of action is placing blame on external factors. He stressed that pointing fingers not just prevents surgeons from making reports their incidents but additionally takes away from the vital analysis of primary reasons that may avert upcoming events.
The Intraoperative Burn Incident with Dr. Robert MacArthur
When talking about the incident of burns during surgery, Dr. MacArthur demonstrated the same dedicated investigative approach he employed to his research on wrong-site surgeries. As an illustration, he reached out to the producer of the problematic clamp to find out if like burn events had occurred. The manufacturer informed him that the clamp in question had been "ceased production." You can infer from that what you will.
To avert uneven heating in massive hinged clamps, Doc MacArthur conducted a comprehensive investigation of what led to uneven heating in oversized clamps.
His research findings suggested that rapid sterilization could result in irregular sterilization. He observed that nursing associations strongly advise against the use of flash sterilization unless it's an emergency, such as sanitizing a fallen instrument. Further inquiry revealed that St Joseph's Hospital regularly employing quick sterilization to ease back-to-back surgeries without the necessity to buy extra equipment trays.
In a bid to stop further burns, Doctor MacArthur informed St Joseph's of the hazards associated with continuing to use this specific clamp and the frequent application of flash sterilization.
Rather than blaming the clamp, Dr. Robert MacArthur assumed accountability and made it clear that he had committed a mistake during surgery. He was advised that the clamp had a high temperature, but when he held it, he found the handles to be at a tolerable temperature. Differing from some surgeons who could impatiently use a towel to manage a too-hot clamp, he operated the clamp with no pain.
Shame and Blame, Dr. Robert MacArthur's Response
In The perspective of Dr. MacArthur on response on the topic of the "shame and blame game," he emphasizes how the legal and the wider public often confuse the "in-command'' concept with root cause analysis. According to this "in-command" perspective, the surgeon is responsible for any negative occurrences that take place to a patient under their care. This makes it enticing for many to only blame the surgeon for any surgical errors.
Nonetheless, Dr. Robert MacArthur emphasizes that this method goes against the principles of investigating root causes. This form of analysis intends to deeply understand what caused a incorrect surgical procedure so as to preferably stop similar incidents in the future. By resorting to blaming and shaming, not it not only hinder proper root cause analysis, but it also discourages other surgeons from reporting their individual wrong site events, worried about the repercussions.
He did not recognize that the sizeable, substantial-sized hinge of the clamp was considerably hotter. When he positioned the clamp against the pretibial area of the patient's leg, it triggered a burn injury. At the time, he was proctored for case privileges at Children's Hospital of Orange County during the incident, and none of the proctor nor Dr. MacArthur were immediately aware of the burn.
It was not until after he had dictated the operative report that a recovery room nurse noticed a small red area on the anterior aspect of the patient's leg. Even then, he did not at the outset fully grasp the severity of the burn.
Doctor MacArthur cites the air travel industry as an exemplary case of effective root cause analysis. From its inception, the industry has strived to thoroughly comprehend the reasons behind each negative aviation occurrence rather than just blaming to the pilot. Because of this dedication to understanding root causes, aviation sector boasts remarkable safety records.
However, Doctor MacArthur laments that the medical community 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 standing and names of many doctors and healthcare providers are undeservedly tarnished.
The occurrence of surgical errors remains at an disturbing rate of one incident per surgeon per career, and as high as four events per surgeon's career for specialists in hand, spine, and sports.
Dr. Robert MacArthur “Sexual Harassment” Allegations
In 2023, it is feasible to levy false accusations against someone, defame their name and reputation, and experience no negative repercussions for the accuser. Regardless if the accused is innocent or guilty, merely making an accusation is enough to bring about long-lasting damage to a professional's reputation.
Doctor Rob MacArthur shared that he chose to leave a clinic specializing in workers' compensation cases because of potential illicit activities on the clinic's management. In retaliation, the clinic manager supposedly worked with a client 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 accusation over a year after his departure from the clinic, at which point he insisted on undergoing a polygraph examination. The accuser, however, refused to take such a test.
Doctor Bobby Mac was later notified that both his truth verification test results and the claimant's refusal to participate would be regarded 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 absurdity 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 "non-credible," 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.
Despite the facts presented above, Doctor MacArthur found no means to eliminate the allegations made by the accuser from Internet search results. This means, despite his innocence, the defamatory campaign was effective.
As the claim does not state that Doctor MacArthur was found guilty, it merely functions as a brief description of a complaint, which continues to be openly accessible to anyone
Doctor MacArthur strongly believes that individuals who lodge false accusations should be subject to consequences equivalent to the consequences of the falsely claimed event. To illustrate, he thinks that his false accuser should be classified as a predator of a sexual nature and felon.
Dr. Robert MacArthur concluded by reflecting on the coexistence of goodness and malevolence in the world, hoping that those who read his account would never come into contact with someone capable of such harmful baseless allegations as he has faced.