Doctor Robert MacArthur Interview
Today, we were to interview Californian located orthopedist, Dr. Bobby Mac, in response to various queries about his own experiences with surgical errors and burns during surgery, as well as the broader topic of "unexpected occurrences that must be avoided".
Who is Dr. MacArthur?
Doc Bobby Mac completed his studies from the Univ of UC Berkeley with a dual degree in Biochem and Physiology. During his time at the University, Dr. Rob MacArthur was a well-known sportsman, engaging on both the combat sports and rugby football squads.
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Afterwards, Doc Robert Mac enrolled at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and became the president of the Columbia P&S (Now known as the Vagelos School of Medicine). Rob Mac proceeded to complete his orthopedic residency at Harbor University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Robert MacArthur Addresses the Incidents
According to statistics, the frequency of wrong site surgery usually falls within a one-time event in a career for every single orthopedic surgeon, but this figure jumps to 4 in each lifetime for specialists in sports, hand surgery, and spine procedures. Sadly, numerous of these surgeons frequently do not report these occurrences, let alone discuss them freely. Doctor MacArthur carries a intense sense of pride about how he confronted these harrowing occurrences.
In lieu of seeking to hide the incident, Doctor Robert MacArthur Mac handled it differently
Dr. MacArthur’s Handling of the Wrong Site Surgery
Doc Rob MacArthur thoroughly looked into the fundamental origins of his 2 events, and published numerous works describing how to stop these occurrences
He eventually, earned acclaim as a recognized specialist in the field of accidents that are preventable. He has penned a couple of articles in the leading orthopedic journal, The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. In order to assisting other doctors stop future incidents, his initial article guided the reader through the specific errors that happened that resulted in the incorrect surgical procedure.
His second publication, co-authored with Dr. David Ring, addressed the topic of the "shame and blame game." Taking responsibility for these incidents is rare, as the common response is pointing fingers at third parties. He stressed that pointing fingers not just deters surgeons from reporting their incidents but furthermore takes away from the vital analysis of root causes that could potentially prevent upcoming events.
The Intraoperative Burn Incident with Dr. Robert MacArthur
When talking about the intraoperative burn incident, Dr. Robert MacArthur displayed the same dedicated investigative approach he employed to his wrong site event research. For example, he reached out to the producer of the problematic clamp to ascertain if like burn events had happened. The producer notified him that the clamp in question had been "ceased production." You can make your own inferences based on that what you will.
To avert irregular heating in huge hinged clamps, Dr. Mac conducted a comprehensive investigation of the reasons for inconsistent heating in big-hinged clamps.
His research findings suggested that flash sterilization could lead to inconsistent temperature distribution. He noted that associations for nurses highly recommend against the use of flash sterilization unless there's an urgent need like sanitizing a dropped component. Further inquiry revealed that St. Joseph's Hospital was frequently using rapid sterilization to enable back-to-back surgeries without having to acquire more equipment trays.
With the aim to stop further burns, Dr. Robert MacArthur informed St. Joseph's of the risks associated with ongoing utilization of this particular clamp and the regular use of flash sterilization.
In place of blaming the clamp, Dr. Robert MacArthur accepted responsibility and made it clear that he was responsible for a surgical error. He was notified that the clamp was heated, but when he took hold of it, he found the handles to be at a comfortable temperature. Unlike some surgeons who may impatiently use a towel to grip a too-hot clamp, he carried out the procedure the clamp without any discomfort.
Shame and Blame, Dr. Robert MacArthur's Response
In The perspective of Dr. MacArthur on response on the topic of the "blame game," he spotlights how the legal and general public communities often confuse the "captain of the ship'' concept with root cause analysis. According to this "in-command" perspective, the surgeon is held accountable for any negative occurrences that happen to a patient under their care. This makes it appealing for many to exclusively blame the surgeon for any wrong site event.
Nonetheless, Doctor MacArthur underscores that this perspective goes against the principles of investigating root causes. This form of analysis intends to deeply understand what caused a surgical error so as to optimaly avert similar incidents in the future. By resorting to blame and shame, not only does it hinder proper investigation into the fundamental reasons, but it furthermore deters other surgeons from disclosing their individual wrong site events, fearing the repercussions.
He failed to recognize that the sizeable, hinge-like hinge of the clamp was noticeably hotter. When he positioned the clamp against the shin area of the patient's leg, it caused a skin burn. At the time, he was proctored for case privileges at CHOC during the incident, and neither the proctor nor Dr. Robert MacArthur were right away aware of the burn.
It wasn't after he had dictated the operative report that a nurse in the recovery ward pointed out a small red area on the anterior aspect of the patient's leg. Even then, he did not at first realize the severity of the burn.
Dr. Robert MacArthur references the airline industry as an exemplary case of effective root cause analysis. From its inception, the industry has sought to comprehensively grasp the reasons behind each negative aviation occurrence rather than merely assigning blame to the pilot. Because of this dedication to understanding root causes, the airline industry boasts notable safety records.
Nevertheless, Dr. Robert MacArthur laments that the medical community 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 incidence of preventable healthcare errors remains unchanged, and the standing and names of many doctors and healthcare providers are unjustly tarnished.
The frequency of incorrect surgical procedures remains at an disturbing 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, it is feasible to levy false accusations against someone, slander their name and reputation, and experience no negative repercussions for the accuser. Regardless of whether the individual being accused is innocent or guilty, an accusation alone is enough to inflict long-lasting damage to a professional's reputation.
Dr. Rob MacArthur revealed that he elected to leave a workers compensation clinic because of suspected illegal behavior on the clinic's management. In retaliation, the clinic's manager allegedly worked with a patient 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 accusation over a year after his departure from the clinic, at which point he asserted on undergoing a lie detector test. The accuser, however, declined to take such a test.
Doc Robert MacArthur was later informed that both his polygraph examination results and the claimant's refusal to participate would be considered inadmissible in court.
The lawyer acting as mediator cautioned him that the jury would likely be composed of "individuals similar to her" and not his, meaning a court loss could be highly damaging. Despite the ludicrousness 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 implied that the clinic was indicted, but he did not officially state this.
Regardless of the facts presented above, Dr. Robert MacArthur found no means to eliminate the allegations made by the accuser from online search listings. This means, despite his clear conscience, the campaign to tarnish his reputation was effective.
Considering that 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 individuals who lodge false accusations should be subject to consequences equivalent to the severity of the event they falsely claim. 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 contemplating the existence of both good and evil in the world, wishing that those who read his account would never come into contact with someone capable of such damaging false accusations as he has faced.