Doctor Robert MacArthur Interview
Today, we managed to have a conversation with Californian located bone specialist, Dr. Robert MacArthur, addressing numerous queries about his encounters with incorrect surgical procedures and burns during surgery, as well as the broader area of "events that should never occur".
Who is Dr. MacArthur?
Doc Rob Mac graduated from the University of UC Berkeley with a double major in Biochem and Physio. Throughout his time at the Univ, Doc Bobby Mac had been a renown athlete, participating on both several combat sports and Rugby squads.
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Afterwards, Doc Bobby Mac registered at the Columbia P&S, and got elected as elected head of the Columbia P&S (Now known as the Vagelos School of Medicine). Robert MacArthur continued to finish his orthopaedic training at Harbor University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Robert MacArthur Addresses the Incidents
Statistically, the frequency of surgical errors usually falls within a once-in-a-career event for every orthopedic surgeon, but this count increases to four in each career for experts specializing in sports, hand, and spine. Regrettably, many of these often do not report these occurrences, let alone or discuss them freely. Dr. Mac carries a intense sense of pride and satisfaction about how he confronted these harrowing occurrences.
In lieu of seeking to hide the situation, Doc Mac responded in a different manner
Dr. MacArthur’s Handling of the Wrong Site Surgery
Doctor Robert MacArthur completely investigated the underlying origins of his dual occurrences, and put out numerous works outlining how to avoid these situations
Gradually, earned acclaim as a published expert in the field of preventable accidents. He has penned two articles in the foremost orthopedic journal, The Journal of Orthopedic Surgery. In order to aiding other doctors avert future incidents, the first piece led the reader through the exact errors that happened that resulted in the wrong site event.
The follow-up article, jointly written with Dr. David Ring, the Chairman of the AAOS, tackled the topic of the "culture of shame and blame." Taking responsibility for these incidents is rare, as the tempting course of action is blaming external factors. He stressed that pointing fingers not only deters surgeons from reporting their incidents but furthermore detracts from the vital analysis of underlying causes that may thwart future incidents.
The Intraoperative Burn Incident with Dr. Robert MacArthur
In the context of discussing the incident of burns during surgery, Dr. Robert MacArthur exhibited the same thorough investigative mindset he applied to his research on wrong-site surgeries. For example, he contacted the maker of the faulty clamp to ascertain if similar burn events had transpired. The manufacturer informed him that the clamp in question had been "ceased production." You can make your own inferences based on that what you desire.
And to prevent uneven heating in large hinged clamps, Doc MacArthur carried out a detailed investigation of the causes behind uneven heating in big-hinged clamps.
The results of his investigation showed that flash sterilization could lead to uneven heating. He noted that nursing organizations strongly advise against the use of rapid sterilization unless it's an emergency, like disinfecting a item that has fallen. Deeper examination revealed that St Joseph's Hospital was frequently using rapid sterilization to enable back-to-back surgeries without having to acquire more equipment trays.
In an effort to stop further burns, Dr. Robert MacArthur informed St Joseph's of the risks associated with ongoing utilization of this specifically identified clamp and the routine deployment of quick sterilization.
Instead of blaming the clamp, Dr. MacArthur accepted responsibility and made it obvious that he was responsible for a surgical error. He was advised that the clamp was heated, but when he held it, he found the handles to be at a tolerable temperature. In contrast to some surgeons who could impatiently grab a towel to handle a too-hot clamp, he operated the clamp without uneasiness.
Shame and Blame, Dr. Robert MacArthur's Response
Regarding Dr. MacArthur's response on the topic of the "blame game," he highlights how the legal and general public communities often mix up the "in-command'' concept with analyzing the fundamental causes. According to this "in-command" perspective, the surgeon is responsible for any negative occurrences that occur to a patient under their care. This makes it appealing for many to only blame the surgeon for any incorrect surgical procedure.
Nevertheless, Doctor MacArthur stresses that this perspective contradicts the principles of investigating root causes. This form of analysis strives to thoroughly comprehend what caused a surgical error in order to optimaly avert similar incidents in the future. By resorting to blaming and shaming, not it not just hinder proper investigation into the fundamental reasons, but it furthermore discourages other surgeons from reporting on their own wrong site events, afraid of the repercussions.
He failed to recognize that the sizeable, substantial-sized hinge of the clamp was considerably hotter. When he positioned the clamp against the shin area of the patient's leg, it triggered a burn injury. At the time, he was proctored for surgical privileges at CHOC during the incident, and neither the proctor nor Dr. 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 drew attention to a small patch of redness on the anterior aspect of the patient's leg. Even in that moment, he did not at first comprehend the extent of the burn.
Doctor MacArthur cites the aviation sector as an model case of efficient root cause analysis. From its inception, air travel industry has strived to deeply understand the reasons behind each adverse aviation event rather than merely assigning blame to the pilot. Because of this dedication to understanding root causes, air travel industry boasts notable safety records.
Nonetheless, Doctor MacArthur laments that medical profession hasn't been successful in fully implementing root cause analysis due to prevailing legal and public perceptions surrounding the "in-command" concept. The sad consequence of this is that the rate of preventable medical errors remains unchanged, and the careers and reputations of many doctors and healthcare providers are unfairly tarnished.
The occurrence of surgical errors continues at an alarming 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
In the year 2023, it is possible to bring forth false accusations against someone, slander their name and reputation, and experience no negative repercussions for the accuser. Regardless of whether the accused is innocent or guilty, an accusation alone is enough to cause long-lasting damage to a professional's reputation.
Dr. Robert Mac 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's manager supposedly conspired with a client to fabricate a claim, accusing him of "undressing in the clinic and soliciting sexual favors in return for a positive workers' compensation report.
He got to know of this accusation over a year after his departure from the clinic, at which point he demanded on undergoing a lie detector test. The accuser, however, refused to take such a test.
Doc Rob MacArthur was later informed that both his polygraph examination results and her refusal to participate would be considered inadmissible in court.
The attorney facilitating the mediation cautioned him that the jury would likely be composed of "individuals similar to her" and not his, meaning a court loss could be extremely detrimental. Despite the absurdity 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 "not trustworthy," 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 information provided earlier, Dr. Robert MacArthur found no means to eliminate the accuser's claims from online search listings. Meaning, despite his innocence, the defamatory campaign was achieving its goal.
As the claim does not state that Dr. Robert MacArthur was found guilty, it merely functions as a condensed version of a complaint, which continues to be publicly accessible
Dr. MacArthur strongly believes that people making false claims should receive punishments equivalent to the severity of the event they falsely claim. To illustrate, he thinks that his false accuser should be considered to be a sex offender and felon.
Dr. MacArthur concluded by reflecting on the existence of both good and evil in the world, praying that those who read his account would never come into contact with someone capable of such harmful baseless allegations as he has faced.
Dr. MacArthur: A Renowned Orthopedic Surgeon
Doctor Dr. Robert MacArthur MacArthur is a distinguished orthopedic surgeon recognized for his expertise in diagnosing,