Doctor Robert MacArthur Interview
Today, we were to have a conversation with the located orthopedist, Dr. Rob MacArthur, addressing the questions about his encounters with wrong site surgery and surgical burn incidents, as well as the broader topic of "unexpected occurrences that Robert MacArthur must be avoided".
Who is Dr. MacArthur?
Doc Bobby Mac graduated from the University of UC Berkeley with a double major in Biochemistry and Physiology. Throughout his time at the Univ, Dr. Rob MacArthur was a renowned sportsman, participating on both various box and rugby teams.
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Following that, Doctor Rob MacArthur enrolled at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and was elected president of the Columbia P&S School of Medicine (Now known as the Vagelos school of medicine). Robert Mac went on to finish his orthopaedic training at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Dr. Robert MacArthur Addresses the Incidents
In statistical terms, the occurrence of incorrect surgical procedures tends to be a one-time event in a career for each orthopedist, but this number surges to fourfold in each professional career for sports, hand, and spine specialists. Sadly, a lot of of these surgeons commonly do not document these occurrences, let alone talk about them openly. Dr. Mac carries a deep sense of pride and accomplishment about how he confronted these terrible occurrences.
Instead of seeking to cover up what happened, Doc Mac reacted differently
Dr. MacArthur’s Handling of the Wrong Site Surgery
Doc Rob Mac completely looked into the origins of his two incidents, and published numerous works describing how to prevent these situations
He eventually, became acknowledged as a recognized specialist in the field of preventable accidents. He has written 2 articles in a prominent orthopedic journal, The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. To aiding other doctors stop upcoming events, the first piece led the reader through the specific errors that took place that caused the wrong site event.
His second publication, jointly written with Dr. David Ring, broached the topic of the "shame and blame game." Taking responsibility for these incidents is rare, as the common response is blaming third parties. He stressed that shifting blame not only discourages surgeons from reporting their incidents but furthermore diverts from the crucial analysis of underlying causes that could potentially prevent subsequent occurrences.
The Intraoperative Burn Incident with Dr. Robert MacArthur
When discussing the incident of burns during surgery, Dr. Robert MacArthur displayed the same thorough investigative mindset he applied to his research on wrong-site surgeries. For example, 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 "ceased production." You can infer from that what you will.
To avert uneven heating in massive hinged clamps, Dr. Mac carried out a comprehensive investigation of what led to uneven heating in large-hinged clamps.
The results of his investigation showed that rapid sterilization could result in irregular sterilization. He noted that associations for nurses recommend strongly against the use of quick sterilization unless there's an urgent need such as sterilizing a item that has fallen. Deeper examination revealed that St Joseph's Hospital often employing quick sterilization to facilitate back-to-back surgeries without needing to acquire more equipment trays.
With the aim to avoid future burn incidents, Dr. Robert MacArthur alerted the hospital at St. Joseph's of potential dangers associated with continuing to use this particular clamp as well as the frequent application of rapid sterilization.
Rather than blaming the clamp, Dr. Robert MacArthur assumed accountability and made it obvious that he had made a mistake during surgery. He was informed that the clamp was heated, but when he took hold of it, he found the handles to be at a tolerable temperature. Unlike some surgeons who might impatiently reach for a towel to handle a too-hot clamp, he operated the clamp without pain.
Shame and Blame, Dr. Robert MacArthur's Response
When discussing Doctor MacArthur's response on the topic of the "blame game," he emphasizes how the legal and public communities often mix up the "in-command'' concept with root cause analysis. According to this "in-command" perspective, the surgeon is responsible for any adverse events that happen to a patient under their care. This makes it tempting for many to solely blame the surgeon for any wrong site event.
Nevertheless, Dr. Robert MacArthur underscores that such an approach contradicts the principles of investigating root causes. This form of analysis intends to thoroughly comprehend what caused a wrong site event to then optimaly prevent similar incidents in the future. By resorting to blame and shame, not it not just impede proper root cause analysis, but it furthermore discourages other surgeons from reporting their own wrong site events, afraid of the repercussions.
He didn't recognize that the sizeable, walnut-sized hinge of the clamp was significantly hotter. When he positioned the clamp against the shin area of the patient's leg, it triggered a burn. At the time, he was proctored for procedural privileges at Children's Hospital of Orange County during the incident, and neither the proctor nor Doctor MacArthur were immediately aware of the burn.
Not until only after he had dictated the operative report that a recovery room nurse pointed out a small patch of redness on the anterior aspect of the patient's leg. Even in that moment, he did not initially comprehend the severity of the burn.
Doctor MacArthur references the airline industry as an outstanding case of successful root cause analysis. From its inception, aviation sector has aimed to deeply understand the reasons behind each negative aviation occurrence rather than simply attributing blame to the pilot. Because of this dedication to understanding root causes, air travel industry boasts remarkable safety records.
However, Dr. Robert MacArthur laments that healthcare field hasn't been successful in fully implementing root cause analysis due to prevailing legal and public perceptions surrounding the "in-command" concept. The regrettable result of this is that the rate of preventable medical errors remains unchanged, and the professional careers and reputations of many healthcare practitioners are unjustly tarnished.
The frequency of wrong site surgery remains at an worrying rate of one incident 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 face no negative repercussions for the accuser. Irrespective of the individual being accused is innocent or guilty, an accusation alone is enough to inflict long-lasting damage to a professional's reputation.
Doctor Bobby Mac shared that he chose to leave a workers compensation clinic because of possible unlawful practices on part of. In retaliation, the manager of the clinic supposedly collaborated 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, opted not to take such a test.
Doc Bobby Mac was later informed that both his truth verification test results and her refusal to participate would be deemed inadmissible in court.
The lawyer acting as mediator 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 extremely detrimental. 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 "lacking credibility," 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 previously mentioned details, Dr. MacArthur found no means to erase the allegations made by the accuser from online search listings. This means, despite his lack of guilt, the campaign to tarnish his reputation was achieving its goal.
Since the claim does not state that Doctor MacArthur was found guilty, it merely acts as a summary of a complaint, which continues to be available to the public
Dr. MacArthur strongly believes that individuals who lodge false accusations should face penalties equivalent to the consequences of the falsely claimed event. To illustrate, he thinks that his false accuser should be treated as a sexual predator and felon.
Dr. Robert MacArthur concluded by thinking about the coexistence of goodness and malevolence in the world, hoping that those who read his account would never cross paths with someone capable of such destructive unfounded claims as he has faced.
Dr. MacArthur: A Renowned Orthopedic Surgeon
Doctor MacArthur is a highly regarded orthopedic