Corruption at Emory:Opening a Pandora's Box
By mike volpe Posted in Emory University | Georgia | Special Features — Comments (41) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
When Erick, at Redstate, published a piece about corruption at Emory University, I thought it was an interesting story and I published a follow up on my own blog. At the time, I had no idea the pandora's box that I had opened.
Last night, I had a three hour conversation with a whistleblower by the name of Kevin Kuritzky. Kevin was 41 days from graduating from medical school at Emory University when he was expelled.
Read on . . .
Emory claims Kuritzky was dismissed for "plagiarism, repeatedly missing required clerkship training involving patient care, lying to his professors, and engaging in other unprofessional, dishonest and unethical conduct."
But according to a complaint filed Jan. 31 in DeKalb County Superior Court, Kuritzky believes something else was a factor in his expulsion.
Kuritzky claims in the lawsuit that Emory officials kicked him out after he complained about patient safety and possible health care violations at Grady Memorial Hospital and the Veterans Administration Medical Center. Both medical centers are associated with Emory's medical school.
Well, what Kevin told me last night could never be summed up in one blog post. In fact, it is ripe for a book and a movie, and so I will be featuring a series of blogs about this matter.
In my first, I want to talk about how Emory's corrupt practices lead to poor people and Veteran's receiving egregiously below standard care because it was simply unprofitable for Emory to provide good care.
Emory runs a handful of hospitals in their Emory University Health Care System. Grady is the largest however because it serves the indigent, the poor, it is also the most unprofitable. Because of this peculiar relationship in their mix of hospitals, this is what ultimately lead to what Erick described as double dipping. What this meant was that residents and attendings who were supposed to be on call at Grady and the VA hospital would leave and go to one of their more profitable hospitals like the Emory University Medical Center.
At Grady almost everyone was either on Medicare or Medicaid or even worse they had no insurance. This meant that no matter how extensive their treatment their bills were limited. In fact, Grady merely paid Emory University a one time fee once per year regardless of the services provided. At the other hospitals the attendings and residents could charge the patients for their services and since the patients were much more affluent they could afford the extensive services the Emory doctors provided. Emory would then profit much more from extensive care provided at one of those hospitals than they ever would from providing extensive care Grady or at the VA.
What this lead to was residents and attendings who were supposed to be on duty at Grady or at the VA, leaving their posts and heading over to one of the other hospitals like Emory Medical Center. As a result medical students, like Kevin, were left in charge of entire floors of patients. Kevin said that he himself was left in charge on 5 different occasions. Doing this is like leaving a flame on. Most times nothing will go wrong but it is only a matter of time before the flame catches on fire.
One night that is what happened. One time he was left in charge of the entire step down unitfrom 4 PM to 2AM. The first emergency came from one patient who was recovering from lung surgery. The patient's lung collapsed and Kevin was called in to save his life. The patient was suffocating and time was of the essence. Kevin was panicked and needed to move quick. He needed to find a chest tube, but because of his own inexperience, he didn't know where they kept the chest tubes. In a rush, he did the only thing he could think of at the time. He grabbed the dirty chest tube that had already been used on the patient and injected into their lungs.
Next, Kevin was asked to read an x ray of the patient's lungs to determine if they were stable. This is again not something a medical student is supposed to do on their own and without supervision but since their was no supervision there wasn't much choice. Kevin gave it his best estimation and determined the patient was fine however as it turns out that was just a lucky guess. This patient survived but it had nothing to do with the type of care that was provided them at Grady.
On the same night, Kevin, again being the head doctor on the floor, was asked to save a patient from internal bleeding who was recovering from a heart attack. He was first asked to perform a hematocrit level test , which measures the amount of internal bleeding, and after the test he then performed a blood transfusion on the patient. Again, he did this all without proper supervision.
The most egregious lack of quality health care that Kevin documented came with patients that came in for potential heart attacks. In order to determine whether or not a patient is in fact having a heart attack doctors perform what is known as a cardiac enzymes test. Proper procedure is to perform this test within 90 minutes since of course time is of the essence in a case of a heart attack. According to Kevin's documentation, the average wait time for performing such a test was about seventeen hours.
There is really only two reasons why a test that needs to be done in 90 MINUTES would be done in roughly 17 HOURS. The first is simple negligence. The doctors just didn't care or maybe they were incompetent which is also possible since as I documented many times the doctors in charge were themselves medical students.
The second reason is even more nefarious. If it is determined that someone is having a heart attack, then there needs to be a battery of tests, surgery, and weeks of recovery. This would cost a lot of money for the hospital and by extension Emory University. Since the patient on Medicare, Medicaid, or worse without insurance altogether, has limited funds, it is much more cost effective if that patient died.
This is only the first in my series. Anyone that wants to speak with Kevin themselves please contact me and I will get you his information.
I would also like to introduce my new signature. As much as I love the Reagan quote, this is even better.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets href="http://www.proprietornation.blogspot.com/">Proprietor Nation
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
Proprietor Nation
Neil, please help. Why doesn't Proprietor Nation come up as a link?
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
Proprietor Nation
Where it says </a href... remove the /.
And I shouldn't have to ask, but does anyone know the movie of the signature?
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
Does it really feel good to cheat? Anyone can google it, however it is special and fun when it is recognized because you as well, saw, and saw over 100 times, the same movie. I didn't ask for you to google. I asked if anyone knew the movie. In any case, you are right.
It comes from the scene when Mathew Broderick's character visits two techies, and they tell him how to hack into the "backdoor" of any computer program. One techie looks at the other and says, "come on you're giving away our best secrets"
and then this follows.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
I really thought you were asking a genuine question (and were too lazy to google), and it didn't occur to me at the time that you were asking a trivia question for fun.
Others commenters in the past have asked questions because they didn't want to do their homework. I should have known better since you're a regular; I just was not thinking clearly. Maybe I need some of mbecker's caffeine. I apologize
do you really think I would use it as my signature without knowing its origins. I woke up yesterday morning saying, "Mr. Potato head, Mr. Potato head, back doors are not secrets" over and over and I hadn't seen the movie in at least ten years. That is how long the line sticks with you once you have seen it. I also recommend the movie War Games, even though it is a decidedly pacifist anti war theme, it is great fun, and that particular scene is just classic.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
I saw the movie probably around the time it came out. It was delightful, though a bit heavy-handed with the moral at the end. The kid came across as a sabé lo todo, though even he wised up by the end. I don't remember too much of the dialog, however - it's been a rather long time.
I've been trying to think whether any of the medical writers I know would be interested in following this up, and whether any of them have a national reputation.
This story also should cross-over usual partisan lines, as it features both financial malfeisance and the exploitation of the poor and indigent.
I'd rank the perpetrators down around the 8th or 9th circle of Dante's Inferno.
The story also stirs up some 30-year-old memories.
I hope I can find the time to give the attention to this story that it needs before it goes stale.
Feel free to contact me via my RedState contact form.
the whistle blower is willing to speak with anyone that can get his story out. This is just the tip of the ice berg. There is so much to the story that is just unbelievable. I will continue to provide more and more posts on it.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
his CongressCritter™? Since Medicare is involved, there should be some interest.
Great blog, excellent job of reporting.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
he lives in the Atlanta area. This fraud goes far beyond Medicare and Medicaid fraud, though that is at the center. There is so much corruption here that frankly it would make my fair mayor, Richard M. Daley, look up and say what are you doing? If anyone knows anything about Daley, then you know what a bold statement that is.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
A less insane dem lib beat her last year.
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson
however much of this was happening on the state and local level.
Mike, do you think this guy can contact you at your paper?
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson
this particular person lives in Atlanta. His story is huge and any media person that runs with it would be advancing a massive story. Let me know.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
to two reporters in Atlanta. I lived there from 2000-2006 and wrote for the DeKalb County The Champion newspaper.
I answered a question about who
represents the district in congress.
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson
as I will reveal later, CNN wouldn't touch it because Emory is too powerful. We need media outside of Atlanta to pick it up. If it were only as simple as the Atlanta media running with this story, this would already be exposed.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson
I've been lurking for several months and really appreciate the site. As one who lives in Georgia and having some limited experience w/ media, I wanted to suggest that you offer the info to an Atlanta area talk radio station. Often what starts there then gets picked up by others.
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson
But it is unlikely that anyone in Atlanta would touch this. Emory wields so much power in the area that no media in the city will touch this. CNN killed the story after being pressured by Emory.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
Please learn how to use the "Reply to this" buttons so that you post your comments in the correct thread.
these comments seem fishy. Grady may have its problems, but the nurses and administrative folks working the night shifts wouldn't have allowed the residents to leave a med student in charge. And even if a med student is placed in one of these situations, the proper course is to first do no harm. Which in the case of a med student, who by definition knows nothing and is not medically licensed to do anything, the proper course is to do nothing. If he stuck in a chest tube without supervision, not only should he be expelled, but he should be in jail.
except maybe as an expert witness on what passes for negligence
which, despite the edwards channeling of fetuses
does occur
I have tried and won 3 med mal cases
see also the jihadist docs in the UK
turns out nurses and docs and admins are human
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
www.race42008.com
www.hinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
"One man with courage makes a majority" - Andrew Jackson
And he was expelled though not for this. He said the guy was suffocating so if he did nothing I aasume the patient would have died.
If a patient is dying I don't think that adhering to protocol is the most important thing.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
It's not a matter of "adhering to protocol". Placing a chest tube is a serious procedure which involves using a scalpel to cut through someone's chest wall. No, no, no - you do not do this as a med student. The likelihood of doing more harm is much greater than doing any good.
And to believe the other stories requires that everyone in the hospital is in on this stunt. The primary care physicians for the patients coming into the hospital aren't complaining that their patients didn't get cardiac enzymes until 17 hours after going to the ED? This isn't showing up in the joint commission accredidation of the hospital? The emergency room physicians are leaving med students in charge too? There are no radiologists to read the chest x-rays because they are in on the scheme as well?
My head and probably by design. Like I said, according to Kevin, by doing nothing, the patient dies. Thus, I am not sure how you figure that he would do more harm than good. He said it was systemic which I guess is your insinuation of all being in on it.
You bring up a good point in that my story is single sourced and I am putting a great deal of faith in him, but his account is quite detailed and corraborated by other public information.
If his story is made up or embellished then he has certainly done quite a job of developing a great deal of detail to the story that includes a lot of background on him as well as the school in general.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
if a med student put in a chest tube without supervision, I'd quickly hook up the patient's family with gamecock, because they are in for a huge payday!
And whether it is good intentioned or not, you do not perform procedures for which you are not licensed for and if you do, you lose your license, pay big fines, and go to jail. As a radiologist, I cannot perform brain surgery, no matter if I deem it to be the right thing to do and extremely urgent.
I would strongly suggest you proceed with caution before slinging around such wild allegations based on what appears to be the account of a presumably unhappy senior medical student.
I have no reason to defend Emory or Grady. But this account is flat out far fetched. It doesn't even make sense -- the malpractice lawyers would have a field day with some medical student reinserting a dirty chest tube because he couldn't find anyone who knew where they were stored. Are there no nurses in Grady? Are there no phones? No way to call the ED for informal backup? Nobody down there has a chest tube available?
It wouldn't surprise me if there are some corners cut but your description reads like mayhem in the corridors. Pardon my skepticism.
I have broken the cardinal rule of double sourcing, however he went on the record and brought a great deal of detail. As for the malpractice lawyer well the people treated at Grady would not have malpractice lawyers. He is not the only person to make these accusations and others have vouched for his character if not these specific incidents.
Mr. Potato Head, Mr. Potato Head, back doors are not secrets
I work in Atlanta and looked at the files in the courthouse. These are not "allegations" - his complaints about the chest tube and cardiac enzymes, etc were thoroughly documented, presented, etc and they explained things and named names, dates, times, etc.
Emory, it seems immediately commenced an investigation of him and expelled him for being tardy to a lecture and not at some clinic or something - both of which occurred years prior to his allegations. Funny how Emory in court says that they investigated him but never even looked into his allegations of wrongdoing.
Also, I saw this guy's evaluations and they were excelent. He looked like a promising kid. There was lots of stuff to back this guy up - I know it seems crazy but I saw it myself yesterday. I hope this guy gets his story out.
I'm not defending Emory or the ex-student. I'm advising caution in drawing conclusions from a single source without reasonable technical input. Especially at Red State, which I value as a key source of political information and analysis in an election year, not as an advocate in issues of medical judgement and practice.
Let's get back to politics.
It also looked like they attempted to seize his computer, go after all his emails/cell phone records, etc. It looks like they were very worried about what he said happened and who he was telling it to. Sounds like there is a lot here.
some attention. Good work.
www.win-the-war.com.