Man records what his surgical team said about him while he was sedated

ParticleMan said:

unixiscool said:
I get the impression that the patient was a real jerk to deal with in pre-op so the banter and the hemorrhoids (aka he was a pain in the a**) were in response to that. I don't think the recording was made by mistake. I get the feeling from the recording, that things just before putting him under were really ugly and they are decompressing from that situation. If you have ever worked with people as part of your job, I am sure you have done this. The false medical record is inexcusable, and I have issue with them saying things while the patient was in the room, but what if he had just walked out the door and they were saying these things.

I didn't get the impression that the patient was a jerk. Just that he was afraid. And the anesthesiologist mocked him for being afraid.

Agree. I'm not sorry the anesthesiologist is paying dearly for her childish and unspeakably rude behavior.

Fainting in response to having blood drawn is not rare and it's very, very hard to overcome for people who have this autonomic response. I have a friend who is a nurse, but faints when she has to have her own blood drawn.

People such as those you see on so-called reality TV are often drunk. Reality TV chooses people with the worst judgment, presumably lower than average and much lower than the average doctor or anesthesiologist.

Having drinks at a bar is something you do with peers, not with someone you hire whom you expect to behave professionally. It's true that "drinks at a bar" is a scenario where recording and repercussions are not expected. Not true for surgery.

There was a witness from the American Academy of Anesthesiologists (or whatever it's called) and ahe testified that it's never okay to talk disparagingly about your patient because, for one thing, it's not clear whether they can hear.

I completely disagree with the "just blowing off steam after a difficult patient" characterization. The audio file is available on the net. Dr Tiffany is clearly enamored with her own cleverness, disparages all patients in the Northern Virginia area as needy and self-involved, and intentionally and falsely writes on this patient's chart that he had hemorrhoids, when he does not. If she doesn't like working with patients, she should have been a radiologist or a pathologist. She could have been a medical examiner, but I would bet that the large majority of medical examiners show more respect for the dead than she does for the living.

I'm glad that a-hole anesthesiologist's rep is ruined, because it should be. Hope that poor guy enjoys the 500k

debpod said:
I'm glad that a-hole anesthesiologist's rep is ruined, because it should be. Hope that poor guy enjoys the 500k

I doubt he'll see more than the $50k the facility was ordered to pay.

ParticleMan said:

debpod said:
I'm glad that a-hole anesthesiologist's rep is ruined, because it should be. Hope that poor guy enjoys the 500k

I doubt he'll see more than the $50k the facility was ordered to pay.

That is still not a terrible compensation for the embarrassment he has suffered. If he had been physically harmed, I would feel otherwise, but I think $500k might be a bit excessive for ruffled feathers.

Like others, I'm very glad that jerk of an anesthesiologist is being made to suffer the consequences of her creepy behavior.

ParticleMan said:

debpod said:
I'm glad that a-hole anesthesiologist's rep is ruined, because it should be. Hope that poor guy enjoys the 500k

I doubt he'll see more than the $50k the facility was ordered to pay.

I'm wondering what makes you think so? His attorney will get from 30 to 50 percent, leaving him with at least 250K. The iinsurance company for the anesthesiologist will probably pay her share, though they are likely to fight against it (perhaps successfully, but then she will have to pay).

what makes you think he won't get it?

eta: She needs this story to go away....badly.

Most insurance policies have exclusions for punitives and in some states its against public policy for an insurance carrier to pay them

Asked my buddy who is an OR nurse about an iphone/belongings in the OR:

"For minor 'dirty' surgeries or procedures like colonoscopies and endoscopies patient belongings are usually stowed on the bottom of the stretcher. For other surgeries that require 'clean' operating facilities, pretty muchanything where the patient is open, belongings are stored in another area like pre-op then moved to post op recovery by techs or orderlies."

After this incident I'm guessing there will be policy changes for any kind of surgery.

Colonoscopy is a procedure, but not surgery, isn't that true? There is no incision made.

hauscat said:
Most insurance policies have exclusions for punitives and in some states its against public policy for an insurance carrier to pay them

I like that. Seems only fair if the doctor does something so stupid and ugly that they should be the ones to pay for it.

hauscat said:
Most insurance policies have exclusions for punitives and in some states its against public policy for an insurance carrier to pay them

Makes sense. However, this doesn't let her off the hook.

I don't think that the fine is the real punishment, I assume some type of insurance will pick that up. It's that her face and name are all over the internet. I am sure she will be hard pressed in getting another job.

I'm actually surprised it went to trial for that reason. But I guess the choice was reputation, or settle for a million+.