Doctor Robert MacArthur Interview
On this particular day, our group managed to conduct an interview with California's based bone specialist, Doctor Bobby MacArthur, in light of the questions about his own experiences with incorrect surgical procedures and intraoperative burn, as well as the subject of "unexpected occurrences that must be avoided".
Who is Dr. MacArthur?
Dr. Bobby MacArthur graduated from the University of Cal Berkeley with a dual degree in Biochemistry and Physiology. In the course of his time at the University, Dr. Robert MacArthur used to be a renowned sportsman, competing on both several combat sports and rugby teams.
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Following that, Doc Robert MacArthur enrolled at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and became the chosen leader of the Columbia P&S School of Medicine (Now known as the Vagelos School of Medicine). Robert Mac continued to conclude his orthopaedic residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Dr. Robert MacArthur Addresses the Incidents
In statistical terms, the incidence of wrong site surgery tends to be a once-in-a-career event for every orthopedic surgeon, but this number increases to fourfold per career for sports, hand, and spine specialists. Unfortunately, many of these commonly do not report these cases, let alone, not talk about them freely. Doc Mac carries a deep sense of pride and satisfaction about how he dealt with these terrible occurrences.
In lieu of seeking to conceal what happened, Doc MacArthur responded in a different manner
Dr. MacArthur’s Handling of the Wrong Site Surgery
Doctor Robert Mac extensively examined the root causes of his 2 occurrences, and released several works detailing how to prevent these situations
He eventually, earned acclaim as a recognized specialist in the field of accidents that are preventable. He has penned 2 articles in the leading orthopedic journal, The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. To aiding other doctors avert future incidents, the first piece guided the reader through the exact errors that happened that resulted in the wrong site event.
His second publication, authored together with Dr. David Ring, tackled the topic of the "culture of shame and blame." Taking responsibility for these incidents is seldom, as the common response is blaming other parties. Dr. MacArthur stressed that pointing fingers not merely prevents surgeons from reporting their incidents but additionally takes away from the vital analysis of primary reasons that might thwart upcoming events.
The Intraoperative Burn Incident with Dr. Robert MacArthur
When discussing the surgical burn occurrence, Dr. Robert MacArthur exhibited the same dedicated investigative approach he applied to his wrong site event research. To illustrate, he contacted the manufacturer of the troublesome clamp to determine if similar burn events had transpired. The manufacturer informed him that the clamp in question had been "discontinued." You can make your own inferences based on that what you wish.
In order to avoid irregular heating in large hinged clamps, Doc Mac performed a comprehensive investigation of the reasons for irregular temperature distribution in oversized clamps.
His findings indicated that rapid sterilization could cause uneven heating. He pointed out that associations for nurses recommend strongly against the use of rapid sterilization unless there's an urgent need like disinfecting a fallen instrument. Further inquiry revealed that the hospital at St. Joseph's was frequently employing rapid sterilization to enable back-to-back surgeries without needing to buy extra equipment trays.
In a bid to avoid future burn incidents, Dr. MacArthur informed St. Joseph's of potential dangers associated with the continued use of this specifically identified clamp and also the frequent application of flash sterilization.
Rather than blaming the clamp, Dr. Robert MacArthur took responsibility and made it clear that he had made a surgical error. He was informed that the clamp had a high temperature, but when he held it, he found the handles to be at a tolerable temperature. In contrast to some surgeons who could impatiently use a towel to grip a too-hot clamp, he operated the clamp without discomfort.
Shame and Blame, Dr. Robert MacArthur's Response
When discussing Doctor MacArthur's response on the topic of the "shame and blame game," he spotlights how the legal and public communities often confuse the "in-command'' concept with identifying the underlying reasons. According to this "captain of the ship" perspective, the surgeon is considered responsible for any negative occurrences that occur to a patient under their care. This makes it enticing for many to only blame the surgeon for any surgical errors.
Nevertheless, Doctor MacArthur underscores that this method contradicts the core principles of identifying underlying causes. This form of analysis intends to thoroughly comprehend what caused a wrong site event in order to optimaly prevent similar incidents in the future. By adopting shaming and blaming, not only does it impede proper analysis of the root causes, but it furthermore deters other surgeons from disclosing their individual wrong site events, fearing the repercussions.
He failed to recognize that the big, walnut-sized hinge of the clamp was significantly hotter. When he positioned the clamp against the front shin area of the patient's leg, it caused a skin burn. He was being proctored for case privileges at CHOC during the incident, and none of the proctor nor Dr. MacArthur were right away aware of the burn.
It was not until 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 extent of the burn.
Dr. MacArthur references the air travel industry as an exemplary case of successful root cause analysis. From its inception, the industry has strived to thoroughly comprehend the reasons behind each aviation incident rather than merely assigning blame to the pilot. Because of this focus on understanding root causes, the airline industry boasts remarkable safety records.
Nevertheless, Dr. Robert MacArthur laments that the medical community hasn't been able to fully adopt 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 professional careers and reputations of many doctors and healthcare providers are unfairly tarnished.
The occurrence of surgical errors remains at an alarming rate of a single occurrence per surgeon per career, and as many as four incidents per surgeon's career for hand, spine and sports subspecialists.
Dr. Robert MacArthur “Sexual Harassment” Allegations
In 2023, there exists the possibility to bring forth false accusations against someone, defame their name and reputation, and experience no negative repercussions for the accuser. Irrespective of the accused is innocent or guilty, merely making an accusation is enough to cause 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 suspected illegal behavior on part of. In retaliation, the clinic manager allegedly conspired 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 was informed of this claim over a year after his departure from the clinic, at which point he insisted on undergoing a truth verification test. The accuser, however, opted not to take such a test.
Doc Bobby MacArthur was later advised that both his polygraph examination results and the claimant's refusal to participate would be regarded inadmissible in court.
The attorney facilitating the mediation 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 potentially catastrophic. Despite the ridiculousness of the claim, he was counseled to settle for $29,000
Conclusion
California's 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 hinted that the clinic was indicted, but he did not officially state this.
Regardless of the facts presented above, Dr. MacArthur found no means to remove the accuser's claims from search engine results. This means, despite his lack of guilt, the slander campaign was achieving its goal.
Since the claim does not state that Robert MacArthur Doctor MacArthur was found guilty, it merely serves as a summary of a complaint, which continues to be publicly accessible
Dr. Robert MacArthur strongly believes that people making false claims should be subject to consequences equivalent to the severity of the event they falsely claim. To illustrate, he thinks that his false accuser should be classified as a sex offender and felon.
Doctor MacArthur concluded by thinking about the coexistence of goodness and malevolence in the world, wishing that those who read his account would never encounter with someone capable of such destructive unfounded claims as he has faced.