SMC suspends doctor for professional misconduct

[Ieyasu Tokugawa]

SMC suspends doctor for professional misconduct
Posted: 02 November 2010 1450 hrs
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SINGAPORE: A registered medical practitioner and specialist in general surgery has been suspended from practice for six months for professional misconduct.

Dr Eric Gan Keng Seng was at the time a Consultant in the Department of Surgery at Alexandra Hospital.

The Singapore Medical Council's Disciplinary Committee (DC) acquitted him of the first charge, which questioned his competence to perform a surgical procedure called pre-cut sphincterotomy, to remove a stone in the common bile duct.

But it found him guilty of the wilful neglect of his duties and had grossly mismanaged the post-operative treatment of the patient.

In relation to the second charge, the DC said the evidence showed Dr Gan first saw the patient post-surgery nearly 16 hours after the onset of symptoms, even though Dr Gan was informed that the patient was unwell two hours after the procedure.

The DC noted during this period, the most senior doctor who attended to the patient was the Registrar on-call.

It was of the view that Dr Gan should have personally attended to the patient and evaluated his condition when notified that the patient was unwell following the procedure he performed, especially as results of initial tests were available.

The DC said being the consultant-in-charge, and by virtue of his accreditation by Alexandra Hospital to perform the procedure, he would have been in the best position to evaluate all available information and adapt management decisions according to the clinical picture.

Dr Gan was also ordered to pay 70 per cent of the costs and expenses arising from the disciplinary inquiry incurred by medical council.

He contested both charges and appealed against his conviction but failed.

-CNA/wk

 

[theblackhole]

Can any kind doctor explain what this procedure is all about?