Miramichi health authority names Menon's successor
Published Thursday July 17th, 2008
Pathologists overworked, underfunded, says association president
OTTAWA - Scant resources and health problems are partly to blame for a series of errors caused by a Miramichi doctor that sparked a public inquiry, costing the province millions of dollars, says the president of the Canadian Association of Pathologists.
Dr. Jagdish Butany said he's still unclear about many of the facts surrounding the case of Dr. Rajgopal Menon who has been accused of misdiagnosing or not completing breast and prostate cancer tests for the Miramichi Regional Health Authority.
"But one of the facts is that he was 74 years old and reportedly had some health problems," said Butany.
"He was not able to step down because there was nobody to fill his shoes."
Menon testified at a public inquiry into his work that he was logging up to 55 hours a week to diagnose test samples.
Butany was in Ottawa on Wednesday to release new guidelines to improve pathology services across Canada.
The recommendations include hiring 500 pathologists in the next 10 years, verification of tests by an external, independent laboratory, and millions of dollars in extra money from federal and provincial governments to pay for the changes.
"This is critical and essential for patient safety and patient well-being," he said.
Butany said the system is being rebuilt to regain patients' trust, adding many pathologists operate on a "shoestring" budget.
"We have pathologists working past the age of 70 today," said Butany. "That shouldn't be the case unless they really want to and somebody says, 'Yes. They are as good as they were when they were 50 years old.' "
The profession has been under a microscope in recent months following other high profile incidents, including a public inquiry into how lab workers botched 383 breast cancer tests in Newfoundland between 1997 and 2005.
The work of an Ontario pathologist has also been called into question following the misdiagnosis of dozens of cancerous tissue samples.
Butany said part of the problem stems from pathologists who have to work in isolation in places such as New Brunswick and Newfoundland
"There should be no more boutique laboratories," he said.
"Nor should there be the equivalent of mom-and-pop, two-people laboratories. A core group of pathologists are needed to work together, to support each other, and allow time to upgrade skills."
A spokesperson for New Brunswick Health Minister Mike Murphy said the guidelines will be reviewed along with the inquiry results, adding the minister won't comment further until the investigation into Menon's work wraps up this fall.
Meanwhile, health officials with the Miramichi Regional Health Authority announced Menon's successor Wednesday.
Dr. Edith Nemec will begin work at the hospital this month, said Sonya Green-Haché of the Miramichi Regional Health Authority.
She said four temporary pathologists from Ottawa have rotated through the hospital to help with the workload since Menon's licence was suspended by the College of Physicians and Surgeons 18 months ago.
The hospital's primary pathologist, Dr. Dariusz Strzelczak, has been working throughout the vacancy, said Green-Haché.
"Pathology is a specialty in which it is very difficult to recruit," she said.
Green-Haché said the hospital maintains full confidence in its pathologists and laboratory staff.
"We're starting to turn the corner," she said.
The federal Department of Health issued a statement on Wednesday saying the provinces and territories, along with self-regulating professional bodies such as the pathologist association, are responsible for quality of diagnostic lab services and the pathologists that provide the service.
More The News
Search Articles
More CE Network Sites & Partners:
