Doctor Robert MacArthur Interview
Today, we managed to interview the based orthopedist, Doc Bobby MacArthur, in response to various inquiries about his own encounters with surgical errors and intraoperative burn, as well as the broader subject of "unexpected occurrences that must be avoided".
Who is Dr. MacArthur?
Dr. Bobby MacArthur graduated from the Univ of Cal Berkeley with a double major in Biochem and Physio. In the course of his time at the Univ, Doc Rob MacArthur was a renowned sportsman, participating on both the boxing and Rugby squads.
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Subsequently, Doc Robert Mac registered at the Columbia P&S, and became the chosen president of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (Now known as the Vagelos School of Medicine). Robert Mac proceeded to conclude his orthopaedic training 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 one-time event in a career for every orthopedist, but this count jumps to fourfold in each professional career for experts specializing in sports, hand, and spine. Sadly, a lot of of these doctors often do not document such instances, let alone talk about them freely. Doctor MacArthur carries a intense sense of pride about how he confronted these unfortunate occurrences.
In lieu of attempting to hide what happened, Dr. Mac responded in a different manner
Dr. MacArthur’s Handling of the Wrong Site Surgery
Doc Rob Mac thoroughly examined the fundamental origins of his two occurrences, and released numerous works detailing how to stop these occurrences
Gradually, gained recognition as a published expert in the field of accidents that can be avoided. He has penned a couple of articles in the foremost orthopedic journal, The Journal of Orthopedic Surgeons at the American Academy. In order to helping other doctors prevent subsequent occurrences, 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, who is also the Chairman of the AAOS, addressed the topic of the "culture of shame and blame." Taking responsibility for these incidents is rare, as the usual reaction is placing blame on other parties. He stressed that accusations not merely deters surgeons from disclosing their incidents but furthermore detracts from the vital analysis of root causes that might prevent subsequent occurrences.
The Intraoperative Burn Incident with Dr. Robert MacArthur
When discussing the surgical burn occurrence, Dr. MacArthur demonstrated the same dedicated investigative approach he applied to his research on wrong-site surgeries. As an illustration, he reached out to the manufacturer of the troublesome clamp to find out if comparable burn events had transpired. The maker notified him that the clamp in question had been "no longer in production." You can infer from that what you will.
In order to avoid uneven heating in massive hinged clamps, Doc Mac carried out a detailed investigation of what led to uneven heating in big-hinged clamps.
The results of his investigation showed that quick sterilization could cause inconsistent temperature distribution. He pointed out that associations for nurses recommend strongly against the use of flash sterilization unless there's an urgent need for instance, disinfecting a dropped component. Additional investigation revealed that the hospital at St. Joseph's regularly utilizing rapid sterilization to facilitate back-to-back surgeries without having to buy extra equipment trays.
With the aim to prevent future burns, Dr. MacArthur notified St Joseph's of potential dangers associated with continuing to use this particular clamp and also the regular use of quick sterilization.
In place of blaming the clamp, Dr. Robert MacArthur took responsibility and made it obvious that he had committed a surgical error. He was advised 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 might impatiently grab a towel to handle a too-hot clamp, he operated the clamp without any uneasiness.
Shame and Blame, Dr. Robert MacArthur's Response
When discussing Dr. MacArthur's response on the topic of the "shame and blame game," he spotlights how the legal and the wider public often confuse the "in-command'' concept with analyzing the fundamental causes. According to this "in-command" perspective, the surgeon is responsible for any unfavorable outcomes that occur to a patient under their care. This makes it appealing for many to only blame the surgeon for any wrong site event.
Nonetheless, Dr. Robert MacArthur emphasizes that this perspective goes against the principles of identifying underlying causes. This form of analysis aims to comprehensively grasp what caused a incorrect surgical procedure to then preferably prevent similar incidents in the future. By adopting blaming and shaming, not only does it hinder proper investigation into the fundamental reasons, but it additionally deters other surgeons from disclosing their personal wrong site events, afraid of the repercussions.
He failed to recognize that the sizeable, hinge-like hinge of the clamp was considerably hotter. When he positioned the clamp against the front shin area of the patient's leg, it triggered a burn. He was being proctored for surgical privileges at Children's Hospital of Orange County during the incident, and neither the proctor nor Dr. MacArthur were right away aware of the burn.
It wasn't after he had dictated the operative report that a recovery room nurse noticed a small red area on the anterior aspect of the patient's leg. Even in that moment, he did not at first comprehend the seriousness of the burn.
Dr. MacArthur references the aviation sector as an model case of effective root cause analysis. From its inception, aviation sector has strived to deeply understand the reasons behind each aviation incident rather than just blaming to the pilot. Because of this commitment to understanding root causes, air travel industry boasts impressive safety records.
Nonetheless, Dr. MacArthur laments that medical profession hasn't been able to fully adopt 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 standing and names of many medical professionals are undeservedly tarnished.
The frequency of wrong site surgery continues at an alarming rate of a single occurrence per surgeon per career, and up to four incidents per surgeon's career for specialists in hand, spine, and sports.
Dr. Robert MacArthur “Sexual Harassment” Allegations
In 2023, there exists the possibility to levy false accusations against someone, defame their name and reputation, and experience no negative repercussions for the accuser. Regardless of whether the individual being accused is innocent or guilty, merely making an accusation is enough to bring about long-lasting damage to a professional's reputation.
Dr. Bobby Mac disclosed that he opted to leave a clinic specializing in workers' compensation cases because of suspected illegal behavior on part of. In retaliation, the clinic's manager allegedly worked with a patient to make a false accusation, accusing him of "undressing in the clinic and soliciting sexual favors in return for a positive workers' compensation report.
He was informed of this claim over a year after his departure from the clinic, at which point he asserted on undergoing a truth verification test. The accuser, however, Robert MacArthur declined to take such a test.
Dr. Bobby MacArthur was later notified that both his lie detector test results and the accuser's refusal to participate would be deemed 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 potentially catastrophic. 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. MacArthur found no means to eliminate the allegations made by the accuser from Internet search results. This means, despite his lack of guilt, the slander campaign was achieving its goal.
Since the claim does not state that Dr. MacArthur was found guilty, it merely acts as a condensed version of a complaint, which continues to be available to the public
Dr. MacArthur strongly believes that those who make baseless allegations should receive punishments equivalent to the consequences of the falsely claimed event. To illustrate, he thinks that his false accuser should be considered to be a sexual predator and felon.
Dr. Robert MacArthur concluded by contemplating 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.