By James Girards
In the continuing saga of Baylor Health System's role in exposing Dallas residents to Christopher Duntsch is an expose' published in the Dallas Morning News yesterday. Reporter Doug Swanson was able to obtain and publish the letter that had been the subject of much discussion: the letter that Baylor Plano supposedely wrote clearing Duntsch of wrongdoing at Baylor - which Baylor knew would be used by Duntsch to get on the staff of other hospitals where he would almost certainly maim and kill more patients. This is the kind of letter that hospitals use to get problem doctors off of their hands and make them some other hospital's problem. Well, the rumors are true it turns out and that letter was written on April 20, 2012 and signed by Patricia Sproles, the Director of Medical Staff Services at Baylor Plano. You can read it for yourself by clicking here. Keep in mind that the letter was written after the following events took place at Baylor Plano: 1) Duntsch did spinal surgery on one patient then binged in Las Vegas for 3 days without telling anyone - while the hospital staff searched for him. Ultimately, the nurses called one of Duntsch's colleagues to take over the care of the patient; 2) Duntsch did one surgery so poorly that an assistant surgeon grabbed the surgical instruments and demanded that Duntsch stop what he was doing stating "what you are doing is dangerous!" That assistant surgeon described Duntsch as a "disaster"; 3) An assistant surgeon in a procedure a few weeks later described Duntsch as "pathetic" and "clueless" on what should have been an easy case; 4) Duntsch paralyzed another patient who confessed to the nursing staff that he had used cocaine with Duntsch the night before. Duntsch was suspended for a time while that information was investigated; 5) Duntsch caused the death of another patient by what the coroner called "a therapeutic misadventure." This is the way medical people say "malpractice." So, after all of that Baylor writes a letter clearing Duntsch of any "areas of concern" and stating that he had never been suspended during the time he was at Baylor Plano. That letter allowed Duntsch to wreak havoc at Dallas Medical Center and University Medical Center.
For more information about this or any other medical malpractice issue, contact the Girards law Firm at 214-346-9529.