After being faced with allegations of substandard care, an internal review has showed no evidence of substandard care by the chief of surgery at University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, according to an Albuquerque Journal report.
Breast cancer surgeon and researcher Anne Marie Wallace, MD, filed suit against the university claiming she was fired after reporting patients were receiving substandard care. Some of the more serious allegations in the lawsuit pertain to the surgeries on breast cancer patients by Dr. Wallace's supervisor, John Russell, MD, who has been head of surgery since 2006.
An internal review of Dr. Russell's surgical cases found no evidence of substandard care, according to UNMH spokesperson Billy Sparks' e-mail to the Albuquerque Journal.
The review consisted of reviewing data on each physician that is routinely compiled at UNMH. That data includes patient complaints, discharges, length of stay, mortality, post-surgical infections, re-admission rates, antibiotic use and blood use. The data examined for Dr. Russell went back 18 months. An external review of Dr. Russell's cases is also pending, which will involve an independent outside physician with experience in breast cancer treatment, according to the report.
Read Albuquerque Journal report on New Mexico Health Sciences Center.
Read more about the Dr. Anne Marie Wallace's lawsuit against UNMHSC:
- Breast Cancer Surgeon Sues University of New Mexico for Systematic Retaliation
Breast cancer surgeon and researcher Anne Marie Wallace, MD, filed suit against the university claiming she was fired after reporting patients were receiving substandard care. Some of the more serious allegations in the lawsuit pertain to the surgeries on breast cancer patients by Dr. Wallace's supervisor, John Russell, MD, who has been head of surgery since 2006.
An internal review of Dr. Russell's surgical cases found no evidence of substandard care, according to UNMH spokesperson Billy Sparks' e-mail to the Albuquerque Journal.
The review consisted of reviewing data on each physician that is routinely compiled at UNMH. That data includes patient complaints, discharges, length of stay, mortality, post-surgical infections, re-admission rates, antibiotic use and blood use. The data examined for Dr. Russell went back 18 months. An external review of Dr. Russell's cases is also pending, which will involve an independent outside physician with experience in breast cancer treatment, according to the report.
Read Albuquerque Journal report on New Mexico Health Sciences Center.
Read more about the Dr. Anne Marie Wallace's lawsuit against UNMHSC:
- Breast Cancer Surgeon Sues University of New Mexico for Systematic Retaliation