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Show co TheSalt Lake Tribune UTAH Sunday,December27, 1998 Surgeon: Record Raises Questions From Families ™@ Continued from C-1 Asthe family pursuedlegal ac- tion, an even more disquieting story emerged: Oldroyd had a lengthy history of unfavorable outcomesin the cperating room geons whohaven't had unexpected outcomes.” Officials at Mountain View which has received national rec- ognition for quality care, saythe 130-bed hospital closely scruti nizes its doctors. Chief Executive Officer Kevin Johnson, who ar- rived at the hospital two years ago, says Oldroyd compared fa vorablytohis peersin semiannual reviews — which take into account mortality rates, re-admissions and unexpected outcomes, among other measures. No one, including thestate ii Yet Mountain View, which serves censing departmentandthe took no actions against him. Between 1987 and 1996, the Utah Medical Insurance Association that insured Oldroyd, opened 21 claim files on him 12 of those before Mary Arnold's surgery how many complaints are too many. To makea comparison, The this rustic community of 10,000 Though notall the claims were pursued, the files were opened whenthere was a “catastrophic” outcome or a potential for mal practicelitigation, said a compa ny supervisor. ‘The blatant bad outcomes were there. The hospital should have known about them, but did Medical Association, has a fix on Tribune examined the records of 100 general surgeons working at should have servedas clear warn- gent consumers are advised to setts, the only state that provides malpractice information on doctors. Doctors were selected with 10 years or moreexperience from Fasi of the Defens stitute, the nation’s large plaints against doctors; check to areas of Boston andSpringfield The examination found two doc- suits. smaller hospitals in Massachu- 25 cities outsidethe metropolitan tors who paid out on three malpractice claims over the past 10 years, five doctors who paid on two, and 22 whopaid onone. No doctorpaid on morethanthree. By contrast, The Tribune has confirmed that Oldroydpaid out on at least six claims in Utah and another in Denver. At least one claimis pending The 21 insurance claim files opened on Oldroyd in Utah ation of defense trial com- droyd’s care. Douglas Lichti was the only other general surgeon on the staff during Arnold's stay. Citing con- see if the doctor is a member in good standing with the UMA, and ask the hospital if the doctor has against Oldroyd, he refused to check with the licensing department, which y manyof whom represent hc tals ‘and doctors in malpractice I've represented surgeons for yearsand I've neverrepresent nyonewhohadthat manyprior cae hesaid. “If I hear a general surgeon had 21 com plaints, that wouldseem very high for me. I would benervous. Arnold’s eas raises questions in a state wheresick people have little choice but to depend on the good judgment of hospitals to se cure quality doctors. When inquiring about a physician, dili investigates privileges, All gave Oldroyd positive recommendations. In fact, three months after the deaths of Arnold and another of Oldroyd’spatients, who had gone in for a same-day hernia operation, Mountain View’s chief of staff and its quality assurance managerwrote letters of recom- cern over the number of claims cover for Oldroyd’s patients, even when they becamecritically ill as Arnold did, according to court records. Lichti allegedly informed the administration that Oldroyd was incompetent and unethical, even calling a board meeting to express his concerns. But Lichti refused to provide specifies, and when it came timeto testify in court, he claimed memory lapses, mendation to a health mainte- according to court records. Another general surgeon quit jon for concern over Ol- See Next Page nance organization on behalf of . They said they knew of You're Invited To The 3rd Big Week nothing,” said thefamily’s attor ney, Roger Christensen, in a No vemberhearing Nor did the Department of Oc cupational and Professional Li censing nor the Utah Medical As sociation. Oldroyd also had privileges at at least four other hospitals, including Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, noneof which ever sanctioned him Oldroyd, 63, said ina telephone interview that hedoesnot believe he has ever committed malprac- tice. He maintains that Arnold's bowel wall ruptured spontaneous ly after being weakenedby lupus Arnold, he said. had been diag nosed with lupus years before though the autoimmune disease was in remission at the time of surgery. His supporters say the number of claims against himis minuscule comparedto thethousands of suc- cessful operations he performed Mountain View Hospital, where he did much of his work, would notreleasethe doctor's mortality. morbidityrates nor the number of operations he performed before retiring fromsurgeryin 1996. OL droyd, a graduate ofthe University of Maryland Medical School arrived in Payson in 1984 after practicing in Colorado andCali fornia. Heestimated he operated on 350 to 450patients a year ‘In the legal mind, every case hasto be perfect.” Oldroydsaid “Attorneys don't win every case but surgeons areheldto a higher standard. I don’t know any sur Shooting Claims Life Of Teen in S.L. @ Continued from C-1 was“myfriend startingto cry Police would not release the identity of the victim. Officers are looking for a suspect who fled the sceneshortly aftertheincident in aredIsuzu Trooper e teen is the 13th youthtodie violently in Utah this year. The others were: M Dever! D. 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