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https://www.todayonline.com/singapo...uct-harmed-patient-licence-suspended-7-months
Surgeon’s ‘bewildering’ conduct harmed patient, licence suspended 7 months
Reuters file photo A general surgeon has been suspended from practice for seven months, after his “bewildering” conduct and rush to carry out invasive procedures caused harm to a patient.
Published 26 June, 2018
SINGAPORE — A general surgeon has been suspended from practice for seven months, after his "bewildering" conduct and rush to carry out invasive procedures caused harm to a patient who was suffering from rectal bleeding and abdominal discomfort.
Dr Ganesh Ramalingam could have been hit with a 12-month suspension, but a three-member disciplinary tribunal noted his early plea of guilt, his acknowledgement that a suspension was warranted and the active steps he took to improve his standard of care.
The tribunal, chaired by cardiothoracic surgeon Joseph Sheares, noted that Dr Ganesh showed his true remorse by not attempting to downplay his professional misconduct.
"Sadly, it is not uncommon that respondent doctors would often urge the (disciplinary tribunal) to impose only fines, arguing that their breaches were not as serious as the Singapore Medical Council would make them out to be," it said in the grounds of decision released on Monday (June 25).
"In this regard, we wish to give credit to Dr Ganesh where credit is due."
However, the tribunal called out the "entirely inexplicable" way Dr Ganesh had handled the patient on April 22, 2014.
The doctor did not obtain sufficient medical history — such as previous episodes of diarrhoea or rectal bleeding and family history of bowel disorders — from her before offering a gastroscopy and colonoscopy.
A gastroscopy is the insertion of a soft tube through the mouth to examine the oesophagus, stomach and first segment of the small intestine, while a colonoscopy is the insertion of a flexible tube through the anus to examine one's colon lining.
These were not emergency procedures but he rushed to carry them out within four hours of the consultation. The patient did not have time to deliberate or seek a second medical opinion, and Dr Ganesh would have "deprived himself of the possibility to re-evaluate the patient".
He also failed to present her with other treatment options such as the use of oral antibiotics with observation.
After the procedures, the patient had a hole in the colon and had to undergo corrective surgery. For two months, she had a stoma — an opening on the surface of the abdomen that diverts the flow of faeces, which is collected in a pouch. She had two long scars as a result. Her husband filed a complaint with the Singapore Medical Council in January 2015.
Dr Ganesh, who was with PanAsia Surgery at the time, pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to obtain informed consent, to keep proper medical records and to undertake an adequate clinical assessment and evaluation of the patient.
https://www.todayonline.com/singapo...uct-harmed-patient-licence-suspended-7-months
Surgeon’s ‘bewildering’ conduct harmed patient, licence suspended 7 months
Published 26 June, 2018
SINGAPORE — A general surgeon has been suspended from practice for seven months, after his "bewildering" conduct and rush to carry out invasive procedures caused harm to a patient who was suffering from rectal bleeding and abdominal discomfort.
Dr Ganesh Ramalingam could have been hit with a 12-month suspension, but a three-member disciplinary tribunal noted his early plea of guilt, his acknowledgement that a suspension was warranted and the active steps he took to improve his standard of care.
The tribunal, chaired by cardiothoracic surgeon Joseph Sheares, noted that Dr Ganesh showed his true remorse by not attempting to downplay his professional misconduct.
"Sadly, it is not uncommon that respondent doctors would often urge the (disciplinary tribunal) to impose only fines, arguing that their breaches were not as serious as the Singapore Medical Council would make them out to be," it said in the grounds of decision released on Monday (June 25).
"In this regard, we wish to give credit to Dr Ganesh where credit is due."
However, the tribunal called out the "entirely inexplicable" way Dr Ganesh had handled the patient on April 22, 2014.
The doctor did not obtain sufficient medical history — such as previous episodes of diarrhoea or rectal bleeding and family history of bowel disorders — from her before offering a gastroscopy and colonoscopy.
A gastroscopy is the insertion of a soft tube through the mouth to examine the oesophagus, stomach and first segment of the small intestine, while a colonoscopy is the insertion of a flexible tube through the anus to examine one's colon lining.
These were not emergency procedures but he rushed to carry them out within four hours of the consultation. The patient did not have time to deliberate or seek a second medical opinion, and Dr Ganesh would have "deprived himself of the possibility to re-evaluate the patient".
He also failed to present her with other treatment options such as the use of oral antibiotics with observation.
After the procedures, the patient had a hole in the colon and had to undergo corrective surgery. For two months, she had a stoma — an opening on the surface of the abdomen that diverts the flow of faeces, which is collected in a pouch. She had two long scars as a result. Her husband filed a complaint with the Singapore Medical Council in January 2015.
Dr Ganesh, who was with PanAsia Surgery at the time, pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to obtain informed consent, to keep proper medical records and to undertake an adequate clinical assessment and evaluation of the patient.
