Doctor Robert MacArthur Interview
This day, our group managed to have a conversation with the resident bone specialist, Dr. Robert MacArthur, in response to various inquiries about his own experiences and encounters with incorrect surgical procedures and intraoperative burn, as well as the broader area of "unexpected occurrences that must be avoided".
Who is Dr. MacArthur?
Dr. Rob Mac graduated from the University of Cal Berkeley with a double major in Biochemistry and Physio. During his time at the Univ, Doctor Rob Mac was a well-known athlete, competing on both various box and Rugby teams.
Here is your paragraph formatted into heavy spintax:
Subsequently, Doctor Bobby Mac registered at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and became elected president of the Columbia P&S School of Medicine (Now known as the Vagelos Medical School). Robert MacArthur continued to complete his orthopaedic residence at Harbor University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Robert MacArthur Addresses the Incidents
According to statistics, the incidence of wrong site surgery usually falls within a once-in-a-career event for every single orthopedic surgeon, but this figure jumps to fourfold for each career for sports, hand, and spine specialists. Unfortunately, a lot of of these commonly do not document such instances, let alone discuss them freely. Doc MacArthur carries a intense sense of pride and accomplishment about how he faced these unfortunate occurrences.
Instead of attempting to conceal the situation, Doctor MacArthur handled it differently
Dr. MacArthur’s Handling of the Wrong Site Surgery
Dr. Bobby Mac extensively investigated the fundamental root causes of his two events, and published several works describing how to avoid these occurrences
He eventually, earned acclaim as a renowned authority in the field of accidents that can be avoided. He's written a couple of articles in a prominent orthopedic journal, The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. In order to assisting other doctors avert upcoming events, Dr. Robert MacArthur the first piece led the reader through the exact errors that occurred that led to the wrong site event.
The follow-up article, jointly written with Dr. David Ring, broached the topic of the "tendency to shame and blame." Taking responsibility for these incidents is rare, as the usual reaction is placing blame on other parties. Dr. MacArthur stressed that accusations not only prevents surgeons from disclosing their incidents but also takes away from the crucial analysis of primary reasons that may avert upcoming events.
The Intraoperative Burn Incident with Dr. Robert MacArthur
In the context of discussing the surgical burn occurrence, Dr. Robert Mac demonstrated the same dedicated investigative approach he employed to his wrong site event research. For example, he contacted the manufacturer of the troublesome clamp to ascertain if like burn events had transpired. The producer notified him that the clamp in question had been "ceased production." You can draw your own conclusions from that what you wish.
In order to avoid unequal temperature distribution in huge hinged clamps, Dr. MacArthur carried out a comprehensive investigation of the causes behind inconsistent heating in oversized clamps.
His findings indicated that flash sterilization could cause inconsistent temperature distribution. He observed that nursing organizations recommend strongly against the use of rapid sterilization unless there's an urgent need like sanitizing a item that has fallen. Additional investigation revealed that St. Joseph's Hospital regularly using rapid sterilization to facilitate back-to-back surgeries without the necessity to purchase additional equipment trays.
In an effort to prevent future burns, Dr. Robert MacArthur alerted St Joseph's of the risks associated with continuing to use this specifically identified clamp as well as the frequent application of flash sterilization.
In place of blaming the clamp, Dr. MacArthur accepted responsibility and made it evident that he had made a surgical mistake. He was informed that the clamp had a high temperature, but when he held it, he found the handles to be at a comfortable temperature. Unlike some surgeons who might impatiently reach for a towel to handle a too-hot clamp, he carried out the procedure the clamp without any uneasiness.
Shame and Blame, Dr. Robert MacArthur's Response
In Doctor MacArthur's response on the topic of the "shame and blame game," he emphasizes 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 responsible for any adverse events that take place to a patient under their care. This makes it enticing for many to exclusively blame the surgeon for any wrong site event.
Nonetheless, Doctor MacArthur underscores that this perspective contradicts the principles of root cause analysis. This form of analysis aims to deeply understand what caused a incorrect surgical procedure to then optimaly prevent similar incidents in the future. By resorting to blaming and shaming, not only does it impede proper analysis of the root causes, but it additionally discourages other surgeons from reporting on their individual wrong site events, worried about the repercussions.
He did not recognize that the big, hinge-like 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 burn. At the time, he was 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 was not until 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 initially fully grasp the severity of the burn.
Dr. Robert MacArthur points to the air travel industry as an model case of efficient root cause analysis. From its inception, aviation sector has aimed to comprehensively grasp the reasons behind each adverse aviation event rather than simply attributing blame to the pilot. Because of this dedication to understanding root causes, air travel industry boasts impressive safety records.
Nonetheless, Dr. Robert MacArthur laments that healthcare field hasn't been able to completely embrace root cause analysis due to prevailing legal and public perceptions surrounding the "in-command" concept. The sad consequence of this is that the incidence of preventable healthcare errors remains unchanged, and the careers and reputations of many healthcare practitioners are unjustly tarnished.
The occurrence of surgical errors persists at an alarming rate of a single occurrence per surgeon per career, and as high as four occurrences per surgeon's career for specialists in hand, spine, and sports.
Dr. Robert MacArthur “Sexual Harassment” Allegations
As of 2023, it is feasible to raise false accusations against someone, smear their name and reputation, and experience no negative repercussions for the accuser. Regardless of whether the person facing accusations is innocent or guilty, just making an allegation is enough to inflict long-lasting damage to a professional's reputation.
Dr. Robert Mac shared that he chose to leave a workers compensation clinic because of possible unlawful practices on part of. In retaliation, the clinic manager reportedly worked with a patient to fabricate a claim, accusing him of "undressing in the clinic and soliciting sexual favors in return for a positive workers' compensation report.
He was informed 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, opted not to take such a test.
Doctor Rob MacArthur was later advised that both his truth verification test results and the accuser's refusal to participate would be regarded inadmissible in court.
The mediating attorney 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 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 "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 verify this.
Despite the information provided earlier, Dr. Robert MacArthur found no means to remove the allegations made by the accuser from online search listings. Consequently, despite his clear conscience, the defamatory campaign was achieving its goal.
Considering that the claim does not state that Doctor MacArthur was found guilty, it merely functions as a summary of a complaint, which continues to be available to the public
Dr. 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 treated 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, praying that those who read his account would never encounter with someone capable of