Review of N.L. radiologist widens

Health officials in central Newfoundland have expanded their review of the work of a suspended radiologist, while another health authority is coming under political fire for how it's dealingwith a similar case.

Central Health announced at the start of June that it had suspended privileges for the unnamed radiologist at James Paton Memorial Hospital in Gander, as it launched a review of several dozen records.

Karen McGrath, thechief executiveofficer of the health authority,said Monday that the review is now being expanded tocover about 500 records.

The radiologist had produced about 50,000 records over the past three years.

McGrath would not say whether any medical problems have been found in the 80 records examined to date, but explained what would happen if a mistake was uncovered.

"If there was anything that we found as we went through the review, the physician was contacted and therefore the patient was contacted," said McGrath.

There has not been an outpouring of concern from patients, McGrath said.

"I think to date we have less than a dozen expressions of concern, and we have dealt with those in the appropriate manner," she said.

The review, which is being done by radiologists at the Eastern Health authority, is expected to be finished during the first week of July.

Central Health disclosed the radiologist's suspension on June 1, spurring criticism from other radiologists that theissue was made public beforethe review was complete.

McGrath said she knows the decision to go public could leave the authority open to litigation. However, she said earlier in the month thatthe authority felt it had nochoice after a separate case of disputed radiologytesting underthe Eastern Health authority spurred complaints that information was not being made public in a timely fashion.

McGrath said she knows the decision to go public could leave the authority open to litigation. However, she said earlier in the month thatthe authority felt it had nochoice afteranother health authority,Eastern Health, drew complaints thatit had not made information public in a timely fashion about a differentcase of disputed radiologytests.

"I think that's a balance between accountability, transparency and, in fact, considering the physician in the equation," McGrath said.

Criticattacksreview ofBurin Peninsula radiologist

Meanwhile, an Opposition politician says thousands of patients in southern Newfoundland are not getting enough information about the separate review of contested radiology reports.

The Eastern Health regional authority ordered a review of 4,600 radiology reports including X-rays, ultrasounds and CT scans in May. Eastern Health also suspended the hospital privileges of radiologist Fred Kasiyre, atBurin Peninsula Health Care Centre.

Almost two dozen radiologists worked on the review of Kasiyre's work. Results are being sent to physicians of affected patients.

Judy Foote, a Liberal who represents Grand Bank district in the house of assembly, said the response has not been enough.

"One couple in particular, a husband and wife who knew that their reports were read by this one particular radiologist, are in fact waiting to hear if they haveto beretested, and they haven't heard a thing," Foote said.

"I think it's been mishandled terribly."

Foote said Eastern Health should be contacting patients directly rather than sending reports to physicians.

Foote said Eastern Health should have taken stronger action this winter, when complaints were first made internally. The authority launched a small internal review, and in May announced a full-scale review that involved most radiologists working within eastern Newfoundland.

Eastern Health said the results of that review will be made public after they have been fully analyzed. That process is expected to take about two more weeks.

"Patients need to know. They need to have their fears put to bed," Foote said. "They need to know if they will be retested or if they won't have to be retested. They need to hear either at this point in time."

Eastern Health announcedits suspension on May 22, 10 days after it was made. The authority made the disclosure after it came under fire for how it handled the release of information concerning the error rate of laboratory tests involving hundreds of breast cancer patients.