Doctor Robert MacArthur Interview
Today, our team were to conduct an interview with Californian resident orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Robert MacArthur, in response to various queries about his experiences with wrong site surgery and surgical burn incidents, as well as the broader subject of "events that should never occur".
Who is Dr. MacArthur?
Dr. Rob Mac completed his studies from the University of California, Berkeley with a double major in Biochem and Physiology. Throughout his time at the University, Doctor Bobby MacArthur used to be a well-known sportsman, participating on both several combat sports and rugby football squads.
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Afterwards, Dr. Rob Mac registered at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and was elected president of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (Now known as the Vagelos School of Medicine). Bobby Mac continued to conclude his orthopaedic training at Harbor University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Robert MacArthur Addresses the Incidents
According to statistics, the incidence of wrong site surgery typically is a seldom happening occurrence for every single bone specialist, but this figure increases to 4 for each career for experts specializing in sports, hand, and spine. Regrettably, a lot of of these frequently do not report such instances, let alone address them openly. Doc MacArthur carries a deep sense of pride and accomplishment about how he dealt with these terrible occurrences.
Rather than seeking to hide what happened, Dr. MacArthur handled it differently
Dr. MacArthur’s Handling of the Wrong Site Surgery
Doc Rob Mac extensively examined the origins of his 2 events, and published several works detailing how to prevent such events
Over time, became acknowledged as a renowned authority in the field of accidents that can be avoided. He has authored 2 articles in a prominent orthopedic journal, The Journal of Orthopedic Surgeons at the American Academy. With the aim of aiding other doctors stop subsequent occurrences, his first work guided the reader through precise errors that took place that caused the incorrect surgical procedure.
The follow-up article, authored together with Dr. David Ring, who is also the Chairman of the AAOS, tackled the topic of the "shame and blame game." Taking responsibility for these incidents is rare, as the tempting course of action is placing blame on third parties. Dr. MacArthur stressed that accusations not only prevents surgeons from reporting their incidents but furthermore diverts from the essential analysis of root causes that could potentially prevent subsequent occurrences.
The Intraoperative Burn Incident with Dr. Robert MacArthur
When discussing the surgical burn occurrence, Dr. Robert Mac demonstrated the same thorough investigative mindset he employed to his research on wrong-site surgeries. To illustrate, he reached out to the maker of the problematic clamp to determine if comparable burn events had transpired. The producer notified him that the clamp in question had been "discontinued." You can draw your own conclusions from that what you will.
To avert irregular heating in huge hinged clamps, Doctor MacArthur carried out a thorough investigation of the causes behind inconsistent heating in large-hinged clamps.
His findings indicated that rapid sterilization could cause uneven heating. He noted that associations for nurses highly recommend against the use of flash sterilization unless an emergency situation arises like sterilizing a dropped component. Further inquiry revealed that the hospital at St. Joseph's often employing flash sterilization to facilitate back-to-back surgeries without having to purchase additional equipment trays.
In a bid to prevent future burns, Doctor MacArthur alerted the hospital at St. Joseph's of the hazards associated with ongoing utilization of this particular clamp and the regular use of quick sterilization.
Rather than blaming the clamp, Doctor MacArthur assumed accountability and made it clear that he had made a mistake during surgery. He was advised that the clamp had a high temperature, but when he took hold of it, he found the handles to be at a comfortable temperature. In contrast to some surgeons who might impatiently use a towel to grip a too-hot clamp, he performed surgery the clamp without any pain.
Shame and Blame, Dr. Robert MacArthur's Response
When discussing Dr. MacArthur's response on the topic of the "shame and blame game," he spotlights how the legal and public communities often confuse the "captain of the ship'' concept with identifying the underlying reasons. According to this "in-command" perspective, the surgeon is considered responsible for any unfavorable outcomes that occur to a patient under their care. This makes it appealing for many to exclusively blame the surgeon for any surgical errors.
Nevertheless, Doctor MacArthur underscores that such an approach contradicts the core principles of investigating root causes. This form of analysis intends to thoroughly comprehend what caused a surgical error to then optimaly prevent similar incidents in the future. By resorting to blame and shame, not only does it hamper proper analysis of the root causes, but it also deters other surgeons from reporting their personal wrong site events, afraid of the repercussions.
He didn't recognize that the large, hinge-like hinge of the clamp was considerably hotter. When he positioned the clamp against the shin area of the patient's leg, it triggered a skin burn. He was being proctored for procedural privileges at Children's Hospital of Orange County during the incident, and none of the proctor nor Doctor MacArthur were right away aware of the burn.
It wasn't after he had dictated the operative report that a recovery room nurse drew attention to a small red area on the anterior aspect of the patient's leg. Even at that point, he did not at the outset realize the severity of the burn.
Dr. Robert MacArthur cites the air travel industry as an exemplary case of efficient root cause analysis. From its inception, aviation sector has aimed to thoroughly comprehend the reasons behind each aviation incident rather than merely assigning blame to the pilot. Because of this dedication to understanding root causes, aviation sector boasts remarkable safety records.
However, Dr. Robert MacArthur laments that medical profession hasn't been successful in fully implementing root cause analysis due to prevailing legal and public perceptions surrounding the "captain of the ship" concept. The unfortunate outcome of this is that the frequency of avoidable medical mistakes remains unchanged, and the careers and reputations of many healthcare practitioners are unjustly tarnished.
The occurrence of wrong site surgery remains at an disturbing rate of one event per surgeon per career, and as many as four events per surgeon's career for specialists in hand, spine, and sports.
Dr. Robert MacArthur “Sexual Harassment” Allegations
As of 2023, it is feasible to bring forth false accusations against someone, slander their name and reputation, and face no negative repercussions for the accuser. Irrespective of the individual being accused is innocent or guilty, an accusation alone is enough to cause long-lasting damage to a professional's reputation.
Doctor Bobby MacArthur shared that he opted to leave a clinic specializing in workers' compensation cases because of potential illicit activities on part of. In retaliation, the clinic's manager allegedly collaborated with a individual under treatment to make a false accusation, 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 Dr. Robert MacArthur this claim over a year after his departure from the clinic, at which point he asserted on undergoing a lie detector test. The accuser, however, opted not to take such a test.
Doc Bobby Mac was later informed that both his truth verification test results and the claimant's refusal to participate would be regarded inadmissible in court.
The lawyer acting as mediator cautioned him that the jury would likely be composed of "her peers" and not his, meaning a court loss could be potentially catastrophic. Despite the ludicrousness of the claim, he was counseled to settle for $29,000
Conclusion
The Medical Board of California examined the accuser's claims and found them to be "not trustworthy," hinting at an ongoing investigation into the clinic. When we spoke to Dr. MacArthur, he hinted that the clinic was indicted, but he did not confirm this.
In spite of the information provided earlier, Dr. Robert MacArthur found no means to remove the accuser's claims from Internet search results. Meaning, despite his clear conscience, the defamatory campaign was achieving its goal.
As the claim does not state that Dr. MacArthur was found guilty, it merely acts as a brief description 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 classified as a predator of a sexual nature and felon.
Doctor MacArthur concluded by contemplating the coexistence of goodness and malevolence in the world, wishing that those who read his account