Scandal doctor was also active in Worms

Dutch scandal doctor dismissed from Heilbronn Hospital

01/08/2013

The accused of personal injury scandal doctor from the Netherlands was not only active in Heilbronn but also at the Hospital Worms. However, the hospital management excludes health damage to the patient, since the neurologist was only under the supervision of other doctors worked and as a resident doctor made no independent decisions, reports the news agency „dpa“. Meanwhile, the SLK clinics in Heilbronn have all treatments involving the Dutch doctor involved, reviewed by external reviewers.

In the Netherlands, the 67-year-old physician is accused of 21 cases of serious bodily injury. Due to misdiagnosis numerous patients were massively damaged during the activity of the physician in the hospital in Enschede from 1998 to 2003, so the charge against the physician. In Germany, the allegations were not known and so the neurologist was initially in the hospital Worms employment before he then moved to the SLK clinics to Heilbronn. After the accusations from the Netherlands became known to the hospital management in Heilbronn, the hospital had immediately separated from the doctor. Health damages of the patients in this country were first excluded by the managing director of the clinic in Worms, Friedrich Haas, as well as by the managing director of the SLK-Kliniken Heilbronn, Thomas Jendges. However, the question remains as to how it came to the attitude of the scandal doctor.

Numerous patients were harmed by misdiagnosis and unnecessary surgery
The list of allegations against the physician is long and sometimes involves unbelievable misconduct. Not only was the scandal doctor dismissed in 2003 for drug addiction and the suspicion of infidelity from the Enschede hospital in 2003, he also had massively endangered the health of patients by numerous misdiagnosis. These took on the basis of the wrong diagnosis of diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's for some years on drugs and were even unnecessarily operated, the charges against the physician. In more than ten cases, the false finding has led to unnecessary brain surgery, removing 12.5 centimeters of brain tissue from one of the affected patients, the plaintiff's lawyer in the Netherlands explained. The Procuratorate in the homeland of the scandal doctor speaks of the largest medical criminal case in the history of the Netherlands.

Scandal doctor was able to submit all necessary papers when hiring
According to media reports in the Netherlands, the scandal doctor voluntarily withdrew from the doctor's register in 2006 on pressure from Enschede Hospital. However, this did not prevent him from seeking employment in Germany. Also, the physician could, according to the managing director of SLK-Kliniken Heilbronn „all necessary qualifications - also a German approbation - in hiring“ submit. The „Approval of the controversial Dutch physician was effective“ and a „Certificate of clearance from the Netherlands was available from the issuing authority“, report the SLK clinics in a recent press release. At present, however, the processes in the personnel administration to examine the attitude of the scandal doctor are not yet completed.

Review of treatments of the scandal doctor by external reviewers
Although there were already rumors in Heilbronn in 2011 that the doctor did not have a valid license, the doctor was able to present a valid German license from 2006 and a valid specialist certificate, which is why „no objection to continued employment“ according to the SLK clinics. „To be sure that Heilbronner patients did not harm the doctor“, let the SLK clinics according to own data currently „review corresponding files by a medical commission from external reviewers.“ The Department of Neurology of the University Hospital Heidelberg has agreed to take over this review. All patients who are worried that they have not been properly treated by the scandal doctor at the SLK clinics are advised to contact the Department of Neurology. To date, two patients have reported to SLK clinics in this regard.

Blacklist for medical doctors demanded
The career of the Dutch scandal doctor at German clinics has a lot to think about. According to the SLK-Kliniken, the neurologist came to the Heilbronn Clinic via a doctor mediation agency and had previously worked at other German clinics. Here is the hospital Worms to call. Both clinics were unaware of the ongoing prosecution in the Netherlands and the return of their doctors' medical treatment, which points to considerable deficits in international communication. In the interests of patient health, according to the consensus of the experts, it must certainly be ruled out in the future that physicians from other (EU) states, against whom such massive allegations are directed, can take action in this country. Dutch policy has already called for an international blacklist to improve the flow of information and avoid similar events in the future. (Fp)