Open Letter To The College Board - Why did Katherine have to die?
Why did Katherine have to die?
That question has been tormenting me for years.
We met one morning, when she came banging at my office door, begging for medical assistance. I didn't give it to her. And she died!
That question has been tormenting me for years.
We met one morning, when she came banging at my office door, begging for medical assistance. I didn't give it to her. And she died!
Katherine was a 35 y/o mother of two. She had been feeling unwell for a few days. Eventually her symptoms got so bad that she had to stagger up to my front door. Gasping, and hammering at a door which had been closed and locked, because the office was having a private meeting.
Why did Katherine have to die?
Stupidity, mostly! Such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons thinking of me as something of a controversial figure. What I call my PICA issues – my acronym for Perverted, Incompetent, Crazy, and Addicted. Which is the way the College likes to think of me.
Although anyone who knows me can tell you that only one of those is true. (And even then, only a little bit!)
Perverted
This one comes from my initial suspension. One of about nine. (I have sort of lost track) . This first one was rated as a sexual boundary violation. Which means that everyone has been thinking that I had been having sex with a patient. Nope.
But there was a woman! (There is always a woman.)
She wanted to date me.
But the only way she could think of to get to chat with me was to come for a few patient visits, during which she asked me for a date.
I said no. And I recorded the event in the office chart.
She wanted to date me.
But the only way she could think of to get to chat with me was to come for a few patient visits, during which she asked me for a date.
I said no. And I recorded the event in the office chart.
She kept coming. But I had serious work to do, and she was getting annoying. So I “fired” her as a patient. We put a "G" on the front of the chart, to indicate that she was "Gone". (THE G ON THE FRONT OF THE FILE)
Several months later she asked to go for coffee to find out why I fired her.
I told her that I still didn’t want to date her. She got annoyed.
Several months later she asked to go for coffee to find out why I fired her.
I told her that I still didn’t want to date her. She got annoyed.
At this point my old Irish father usually interrupts with “C’mon Pat. Sure, what did you REALLY do?”
But that is the whole story. I am including exact scans of her chart, for you to see.
But there is still the big question – "what happened over coffee"? The sort of real answer is "not much". The really real answer is "none of your damn business". ( Since she hadn't been a patient for months, this would come under the category of "two consenting adults". )
But that is the whole story. I am including exact scans of her chart, for you to see.
But there is still the big question – "what happened over coffee"? The sort of real answer is "not much". The really real answer is "none of your damn business". ( Since she hadn't been a patient for months, this would come under the category of "two consenting adults". )
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She later filed a civil suit against me, for “rejecting her”. My lawyers told her lawyers "fuck off". (That is a direct quote.)
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So, she complained to the College. They decided to suspend me. Even though I never broke any College rules. Not any rules from back then, and not any current rules.
I wanted to fight it, but the lawyers refused. They said “The College hates you. It is best not to piss them off.” ( I hate lawyers!)
I wanted to fight it, but the lawyers refused. They said “The College hates you. It is best not to piss them off.” ( I hate lawyers!)
That was the only interesting sin. Even though I didn't do anything!
All the other suspensions were for progressively more minor offenses. Like working too many hours in the office, etc.. I am sure you can get the list.
All the other suspensions were for progressively more minor offenses. Like working too many hours in the office, etc.. I am sure you can get the list.
But this raises a disturbing question. Would the College suspend me for a sexual offense when there was no sexual offense? And they knew that? What kind of reprobates would do such a thing?
Well, perhaps the kind that would try and stir up a sexual offense where none existed. Such as the case of Karen, a woman that I saw twice as a patient, who became a patient years later.
And one of the Registrars tried to convince her to start up a case against me where none existed. LINK TO THE KAREN LETTER.
Well, perhaps the kind that would try and stir up a sexual offense where none existed. Such as the case of Karen, a woman that I saw twice as a patient, who became a patient years later.
And one of the Registrars tried to convince her to start up a case against me where none existed. LINK TO THE KAREN LETTER.
Incompetent
Am I incompetent? This one bit the dust hard, because it is so easy to test.
- The College sent a team to my office to assess my practice. I was graded as “outstanding”, and the most competent doctor in my seven physician practice.
- They made me re-write the LMCC’s – the medical “bar exams”. I did it with a week’s notice, and passed easily.
- They reviewed my narcotic prescribing practices. Five times. “Outstanding” again.
- They said I had to do Continuing Medical Education. The standard is 25 Category 1 credits per year. I did 150 in one month.
- One of the Registrars wanted me to have monthly quizzes. I suggested an alternative plan. We both take the same medical exam, and whoever got the worst score retires permanently. I haven’t heard from the little squint ever since.
Crazy
Crazy is the interesting one. It turns out I am indeed a little teeny bit crazy. (Although one of my 39 psychiatrists said that craziness was hard to assess in Irish people. Freud said the same thing. )
That "39" was not a misprint. The College has sent me for 39 forensic assessments. Guinness says I have the record. Although they are not going to publish it. They said it is not the sort of record they wish to encourage anyone to try and break.
The sum total of the 39 assessments? They are unanimous:
But I do have something..... GABBARD HERE
The sum total of the 39 assessments? They are unanimous:
- No sexual disorders
- No addiction disorders
- No personality disorders
But I do have something..... GABBARD HERE
Disability
- Social Phobia ( extreme shyness – although I am pretty good at hiding it. And apparently I don't write like a shy person.)
- Bipolar II – the “light” version of being manic-depressive. Think “Patch Adams”
- and in me it is a medically and legally recognized disability
I even got a disability settlement for being Bipolar II. Therefore the College is officially picking on a disabled person. SCAN OF THE COURT CASE
The good news is that 39/39 are unanimous that it has never affected my ability to practice medicine. Which makes it hard to explain why the College does not want to let me work.
The good news is that 39/39 are unanimous that it has never affected my ability to practice medicine. Which makes it hard to explain why the College does not want to let me work.
Addicted
Whoops. I almost forgot "Addicted", in the PICA outline.
I have spent three of the last five years not working at all, because the College has been treating me like an addict. Even though 39 of their own experts are certain that I have never been an addict. SOBEY HERE
I have spent three of the last five years not working at all, because the College has been treating me like an addict. Even though 39 of their own experts are certain that I have never been an addict. SOBEY HERE
Conditions
So, why did Katherine have to die?
Well, mostly because of "practice conditions" that the College imposed upon me.
Well, mostly because of "practice conditions" that the College imposed upon me.
The College has about a three page list of Practice Conditions that they used to restrict the practice of various physicians. For example, if a physician is an addict they may have to go for regular drug monitoring.
I have never had a condition which affected my ability to practice. So, since the couldn't think of a specific condition, they gave me the whole three pages.
Including random drug screening. Even though 39 of their own experts verified that I have never had addictions.
I have never had a condition which affected my ability to practice. So, since the couldn't think of a specific condition, they gave me the whole three pages.
Including random drug screening. Even though 39 of their own experts verified that I have never had addictions.
Even as of today, I am off on "temporary illness". At the insistence of the College. Presumably because of my "not a drunk" status.
The "adult males only" condition
Why did Katherine have to die?
One of my many conditions is that my current practice is limited to "adult males only". And I have to display a sign like this in the waiting room and all my examination rooms. To warn wary patients who wander by. And who are not aware of my peculiar personal proclivities.
One of my many conditions is that my current practice is limited to "adult males only". And I have to display a sign like this in the waiting room and all my examination rooms. To warn wary patients who wander by. And who are not aware of my peculiar personal proclivities.
Pause for a second to ask yourself - as many patients do - what the hell I did to need such a sign?
I am sure you are far too polite to mention it, but there are really only three things that would easily spring to mind:
1) I am a pedophile
2) I am a sexual predator
3) I am a pedophile AND a sexual predator
Don't be embarrassed. Those are exactly the things that I would think of.
I am sure you are far too polite to mention it, but there are really only three things that would easily spring to mind:
1) I am a pedophile
2) I am a sexual predator
3) I am a pedophile AND a sexual predator
Don't be embarrassed. Those are exactly the things that I would think of.
But here is the curious bit - not one of those 39 forensic psych assessments has ever said I had any sexual disorder, or any kind. None! Period! In fact, they have gone out of their way to point out that I have NO sexual disorders. THUMBNAIL LINK TO GABBARD HERE.
Why am I only talking about this now?
Have patience. We are getting very close to why Katherine died.
One of my other conditions was that I was not allowed to talk about any of this stuff. Which was, umm, kind of illegal. And not just a little bit illegal. It was exactly opposite to the Free Speech provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Item 2(b)
One of my other conditions was that I was not allowed to talk about any of this stuff. Which was, umm, kind of illegal. And not just a little bit illegal. It was exactly opposite to the Free Speech provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Item 2(b)
I asked the College - several dozen times - why they had an illegal condition. They never explained why the condition existed. In fact, they have never given any reasons for any of my conditions. But the "no free speech" condition just mysteriously vanished.
The Board Meeting I could, and then couldn't, attend
I have been trying to get the other conditions to vanish as well. Especially the "adult males only" one, as it was the one which - as we will see in a minute - got Katherine killed.
But the lawyers at the College, such as Ms. Angela Westmacott, kept insisting that the only way I could get rid of conditions was if the College Board removed them. So I asked to the College Board. And she tried to hide the times and dates of the meetings from me. Six times!
I eventually got to a Board Meeting. And they removed all my addiction conditions. Which would seem like a no-brainer, since they had ( at that time ) 38 expert reports saying that I have never had addiction problems.
This lead to me setting another record. I am the only physician ever sent by the College for an "addiction assessment" to have ever escaped from having to do random drug testing forever after. And the only reasons I managed to do it were:
1) I had passed hundred of random drug tests, over a period of 20 years
2) I had over three dozen expert opinions saying I had no addiction issues
3) I insisted on going before the College Board to plead my case
1) I had passed hundred of random drug tests, over a period of 20 years
2) I had over three dozen expert opinions saying I had no addiction issues
3) I insisted on going before the College Board to plead my case
But then the Board got tired...
Cancelling all my addiction conditions must have worn them out. And apparently literal "life and death" issues don't impress them. They decided to leave the "adult males only" condition for the next meeting I would be allowed to attend. In two years time! Crap!
However ... the two years is up!
But the College is up to their old tricks - their lawyers won't let me talk to the Board. Even though the Board said I could, two years ago. And the College's own bylaws say that I am allowed.
So, rather than settle this all in a quiet, professional way, I have to make this whole pile of foolishness public. And embarrass the entire medical profession in the process. My apologies.
So, rather than settle this all in a quiet, professional way, I have to make this whole pile of foolishness public. And embarrass the entire medical profession in the process. My apologies.
Finally - the reason Katherine died!
Here is the story... a critically ill woman shows up at a doctor's office in extreme distress. Which is exactly the sort of thing I am good at. I start resuscitating her, while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
In the meantime one of my Medical Office Assistants called the College. Just as a courtesy to them I thought I would let them know that I was making an exception to the "men only" rule. Because a woman was dying.
In the meantime one of my Medical Office Assistants called the College. Just as a courtesy to them I thought I would let them know that I was making an exception to the "men only" rule. Because a woman was dying.
Dr. Maureen Piercey - a Registrar at the College of Physicians and Surgeons - denied me permission to treat Katherine. I stopped treating Katherine. We transferred her to the hospital, where she died soon after.
Piercey was also the woman that Karen complainted about. Meaning that Piercey was the one trying to stir up a sexual complaint about me. Which was supposed to go to the head of the Sexual Misconduct Committee at the College.
But the head of that committee was - Maureen Piercey
But the head of that committee was - Maureen Piercey