Gaps in reference checking led to spread of questionable work, says report
by Paolo Taruc
British Columbia’s Ministry of Health wants to improve radiology services, after a recent review found clinical discrepancies in over 1,000 medical images of 9,757 patients interpreted by an unnamed radiologist. These include MRIs, CTs, ultrasounds, mammograms and X-rays.
According to the review by Dr. Martin Wale of the B.C. Medical Quality Initiative, authorities found:
Wale said the radiologist came to B.C. “with glowing references” from Ontario, but it was not clear why the practitioner left in the first place. The radiologist held temporary positions across Canada. During his stint in Campbell River, concerns were raised about his competence very soon after he started a locum in Nanaimo.
"The picture emerges of an individual, with glowing references from out-of-province, moving through a series of short locums in different jurisdictions, never getting a permanent position," Wale wrote in the review.
He said the situation could have been detected sooner if key information had been available for reference checking, or had been shared. “Concerns about privacy and working relationships limit the ability to seek information, even when this impacts patient safety.”
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British Columbia’s Ministry of Health wants to improve radiology services, after a recent review found clinical discrepancies in over 1,000 medical images of 9,757 patients interpreted by an unnamed radiologist. These include MRIs, CTs, ultrasounds, mammograms and X-rays.
According to the review by Dr. Martin Wale of the B.C. Medical Quality Initiative, authorities found:
- a 6% discrepancy rate of 2,190 images in the Interior Health region
- a 15% discrepancy rate of 2,375 CT scans in the Island Health region
- a 10% discrepancy rate of 8,400 images in the Northern Health region
- no discrepancies among 861 images in Vancouver Coastal Health region
Wale said the radiologist came to B.C. “with glowing references” from Ontario, but it was not clear why the practitioner left in the first place. The radiologist held temporary positions across Canada. During his stint in Campbell River, concerns were raised about his competence very soon after he started a locum in Nanaimo.
"The picture emerges of an individual, with glowing references from out-of-province, moving through a series of short locums in different jurisdictions, never getting a permanent position," Wale wrote in the review.
He said the situation could have been detected sooner if key information had been available for reference checking, or had been shared. “Concerns about privacy and working relationships limit the ability to seek information, even when this impacts patient safety.”
Related stories:
Quebec health minister, radiologists at odds over publicly funded ultrasounds
Woman who woke up mid-surgery wins medical-malpractice suit
