Oregon Medical Board FAILS to hold providers to a standard of care that protects the lives...

I reviewed the records of a chronic pain patient being seen at a major pain clinic located in southern Medford. This patient NEVER got to see the pain doctor specialist, despite records claiming that the clinic policy is for the patient to be seen by the lead doctor at the first visit. The patient saw the physician’s assistant for every visit. Each and every visit with that PA and the patient’s PCP described the patient’s heart as “normal . . . no murmurs.” At the very first visit with me, I listened to the patient’s heart and heard a severe heart murmur that even my untrained medical assistant could hear. I referred the patient to a cardiologist who described the murmur as “CRITICAL.” The patient had valvular heart surgery within the month. It saved the patient’s life! But I guess the medical board can’t be bothered by the fact that the PA and the PCP can’t hear murmurs. The real reason they didn’t hear it, is because they didn’t bother to listen, despite documenting doing so in their chart notes. Fraud comes in many forms, and saying you did an examination, but didn’t, is just another form of fraud. The medical board doesn’t care about fraud though. But how about the patient’s care? The patient would have died soon because of negligent medical care. But guess what? The medical board couldn’t even bother to talk to the patient about their care at that clinic. An investigation without talking to the “victim” is an incomplete one. Medical board favoritism at its’ finest.