So here's the thing about this practice: my experiences demonstrate they don't have policies in place to assure patient safety and avoid fraudulent practices. Their CFO, a spinal surgeon, asserted on public record(in court filings) that he is not required to know what he put in my spine, and to this day I have not been able to get him, the hospital, or the manufacturer Nuvasive to tell me:
1. what they put in my spine, and
2.whether it is FDA approved.
I have no idea what they put in my spine, and will have no way of ever knowing if the devices have been recalled.
I do know they lied about what they put in my spine. Simple physics proves that on my Xray: hospital medical device implant list from op report lists devices that are made of METAL. They DO NOT show up on my XRAY. mic drop.
Your surgeon is your attending physician: as such he is REQUIRED to oversee your medical care, as are the chairs of the various medical committees at the hospital. When you are injured in the process of receiving medical care, when indicated medical care is not provided, they are accountable
Many of the injuries I sustained in my surgery and hospitalization would have killed most people. It is seriously difficult not to feel as if these medical providers viewed me as a free kill and an easy source of revenue due to my insurance - if not worse.
The thing is, it is fraud to bill medicare when you lose a perfectly good body part in surgery. By Universal business law in the US, a corporation is required to remove a CFO who has committed fraud. In the medical community, what instead happens is they circle the wagons in order to cover up for their "bros".
So, my advice to anyone considering surgery through this practice:
1. Make sure at least THREE other doctors independently recommend a surgeon before you go under his knife
2. Make sure you have a discussion in his office where he tells you what implants he plans to use, whether they are FDA approved, and any financial payments he has received from the manufacturer. He HAS to have you sign a written consent after this discussion - get a copy on the spot. Research in advance the particulars to consent for your specific surgery. Ask questions and DO NOT have surgery if your questions are evaded. Get second and third opinions. Other doctors will not warn you away from a dangerous surgeon, even though they all know about him. They don't want to get involved in his messes.
3. make sure he tells you what the other options are, especially whether surgery is required.
4. ask him how many times a patient has had massive blood loss in his surgery, sustained a debilitating injury, and or died. You can discover this for eight elective surgeries by googling "propublica surgeon scorecard +_surgeon name_'. This is an excellent way to identify "safe" and "dangerous" surgeons by looking at the highest and the lowest numbers. Bedside manner is not nearly as important as avoiding an unsafe surgeon. Also, red flags are flirtatious conduct and gratuitous religious references. NEITHER of these has any place in a medical practice; they should be viewed as highly manipulative distractions. RUN away, don't walk, as fast as you can away from this.
5. Be sure you know BEFORE surgery EXACTLY what his aftercare will be, and what it will be if you suffer life-threatening injury during surgery.
Even with a safe surgeon, the last item is important to know, because things do happen, and it is important to only have surgery with a surgeon who is prepared to give appropriate and adequate follow-up care. They are REQUIRED to do this, and their practice is REQUIRED to report them to the state medical board for serious departures from compliance regulations. If they get defensive, that is a BIG red flag.
Stay safe: find surgeons who care about whether you live or die from their care. read more