When Checks and Balances Fail
In February 2017, Dr. Christopher Duntsch became the first surgeon in American history known to be sentenced to prison for botching a patient surgery. A licensed neurosurgeon, Duntsch left a string of deaths and maimed bodies in his wake: He was accused of causing the death of two surgery patients and leaving 33 others permanently damaged. His patients left their lives in his hands; he left them paralyzed or dead.
The checks and balances that were supposed to contain Duntsch failed utterly. His medical school licensed him but didn’t require the preparation necessary to instill competence. Hospitals suspended him but didn’t report him. The medical board could do nothing without forms filed against him. Patients were left without recourse.