Doctor Robert MacArthur Interview
This day, our group were to have a conversation with the resident orthopedic surgeon, Doc Robert Mac, addressing numerous inquiries about his personal encounters with incorrect surgical procedures and surgical burn incidents, as well as the broader topic of "events that should never occur".
Who is Dr. MacArthur?
Doc Robert MacArthur completed his studies from the Univ of UC Berkeley with a dual degree in Biochem and Physio. Throughout his time at the Univ, Doc Robert MacArthur had been a renowned sportsman, engaging on both several box and rugby football teams.
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Afterwards, Doc Rob Mac registered at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and got elected as the chosen president of the Columbia P&S School of Medicine (Now known as the Vagelos Medical School). Bobby Mac proceeded to conclude his orthopedic residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Dr. Robert MacArthur Addresses the Incidents
In statistical terms, the occurrence of wrong site surgery usually falls within a seldom happening occurrence for every single bone specialist, but this number jumps to fourfold per career for sports, hand, and spine specialists. Sadly, numerous of these doctors commonly do not report these occurrences, let alone, not address them freely. Doc MacArthur carries a profound sense of pride and accomplishment about how he dealt with these terrible occurrences.
Rather than trying to hide the incident, Doctor Mac reacted differently
Dr. MacArthur’s Handling of the Wrong Site Surgery
Dr. Robert Mac thoroughly looked into the root causes of his 2 events, and released several works describing how to stop such events
Gradually, became acknowledged as a renowned authority in the Dr. Robert MacArthur field of accidents that are preventable. He has authored 2 articles in the foremost orthopedic journal, The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. To aiding other doctors stop subsequent occurrences, his initial article walked the reader through the exact errors that took place that led to the wrong site event.
His second publication, jointly written with Dr. David Ring, the Chairman of the AAOS, addressed the topic of the "shame and blame game." Being accountable for these incidents is seldom, as the usual reaction is pointing fingers at other parties. He stressed that shifting blame not merely prevents surgeons from reporting their incidents but furthermore diverts from the essential analysis of underlying causes that could potentially thwart subsequent occurrences.
The Intraoperative Burn Incident with Dr. Robert MacArthur
When talking about the surgical burn occurrence, Dr. Robert Mac demonstrated the same thorough investigative mindset he employed to his research on wrong-site surgeries. For example, he got in touch with the maker of the faulty clamp to ascertain if similar burn events had happened. The manufacturer advised him that the clamp in question had been "discontinued." You can infer from that what you wish.
And to prevent uneven heating in massive hinged clamps, Doctor Mac performed a detailed investigation of what led to inconsistent heating in big-hinged clamps.
The results of his investigation showed that rapid sterilization could lead to irregular sterilization. He noted that nursing associations highly recommend against the use of rapid sterilization unless it's an emergency, for instance, disinfecting a dropped component. Further inquiry revealed that St Joseph's Hospital was frequently employing quick sterilization to ease back-to-back surgeries without having to buy extra equipment trays.
In a bid to prevent future burns, Dr. MacArthur notified St Joseph's of potential dangers associated with ongoing utilization of this specific clamp and the regular use of flash sterilization.
Rather than blaming the clamp, Dr. Robert MacArthur accepted responsibility and made it clear that he had committed a mistake during surgery. He was informed that the clamp was heated, but when he held it, he found the handles to be at a pleasant temperature. Unlike some surgeons who might impatiently use a towel to grip a too-hot clamp, he carried out the procedure the clamp with no pain.
Shame and Blame, Dr. Robert MacArthur's Response
In Doctor MacArthur's response on the topic of the "blame game," he spotlights how the legal and public communities often mix up the "in-command'' concept with analyzing the fundamental causes. According to this "captain of the ship" perspective, the surgeon is responsible for any negative occurrences that take place to a patient under their care. This makes it tempting for many to solely blame the surgeon for any incorrect surgical procedure.
Nevertheless, Dr. Robert MacArthur underscores that this perspective goes against the principles of root cause analysis. This form of analysis intends to comprehensively grasp what caused a surgical error to then ideally avert similar incidents in the future. By adopting shaming and blaming, not it not just hamper proper investigation into the fundamental reasons, but it additionally deters other surgeons from disclosing their personal wrong site events, fearing the repercussions.
He failed to recognize that the large, substantial-sized hinge of the clamp was noticeably 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 case privileges at CHOC during the incident, and none of the proctor nor Dr. Robert MacArthur were immediately aware of the burn.
It wasn't after he had dictated the operative report that a recovery room nurse pointed out 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 seriousness of the burn.
Dr. MacArthur references the aviation sector as an exemplary case of successful root cause analysis. From its inception, aviation sector has aimed to comprehensively grasp the reasons behind each adverse aviation event rather than just blaming to the pilot. Because of this focus on understanding root causes, air travel industry boasts notable safety records.
However, Dr. Robert MacArthur laments that healthcare field hasn't been able to fully adopt root cause analysis due to prevailing legal and public perceptions surrounding the "captain of the ship" concept. The regrettable result of this is that the frequency of avoidable medical mistakes remains unchanged, and the careers and reputations of many medical professionals are undeservedly tarnished.
The incidence of incorrect surgical procedures remains at an worrying rate of one incident per surgeon per career, and up to four incidents per surgeon's career for hand, spine and sports subspecialists.
Dr. Robert MacArthur “Sexual Harassment” Allegations
As of 2023, it is feasible to levy false accusations against someone, smear their name and reputation, and have no negative repercussions for the accuser. Regardless if the individual being accused is innocent or guilty, an accusation alone is enough to bring about long-lasting damage to a professional's reputation.
Doctor Robert Mac disclosed that he chose to leave a workers compensation clinic because of potential illicit activities on part of. In retaliation, the clinic's manager allegedly worked with a client 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 was informed of this claim over a year after his departure from the clinic, at which point he demanded on undergoing a polygraph examination. The accuser, however, opted not to take such a test.
Doc Robert Mac was later informed that both his truth verification test results and the accuser'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 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 confirm this.
In spite of the facts presented above, Dr. Robert MacArthur found no means to remove the accuser's claims from online search listings. This means, despite his lack of guilt, the slander campaign was achieving its goal.
As the claim does not state that Dr. Robert MacArthur was found guilty, it merely serves as a summary of a complaint, which continues to be openly accessible to anyone
Doctor MacArthur strongly believes that those who make baseless allegations should face penalties 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 thinking about the existence of both good and evil in the world, hoping that those who read his account would never encounter with someone capable of such harmful baseless allegations as he has faced.
Dr. MacArthur: A Renowned Orthopedic Surgeon
Dr. MacArthur is a renowned orthopedic surgeon recognized for his expertise in identifying, providing treatment for, avoiding, and facilitating