Police to investigate work of former N.B. pathologist

The Miramichi Regional Health Authority is auditing about 15,000 tests such as cancer biopsies analyzed by a former pathologist, work that is now under police investigation.

Almost all of the patients involved had the tests done at the Miramichi hospital in eastern New Brunswick between 1995 and 2007, Health Minister Mike Murphy said on Monday.

The RCMP will be asked to review several misdiagnoses by the unidentified former pathologist uncovered by the health authority, Murphy said.

He did not identify the pathologist, but said the doctor was suspended from practice just over a year ago.  

"We will advise the Miramichi Regional Health Authority to provide a synopsis of the events and access to its records to the RCMP," Murphy said at a news conference in Fredericton. "It will be up to the RCMP to determine, after a review of this matter … whether charges of criminal negligence should be laid against the former pathologist."

The Miramichi Regional Health Authority, which includes the Miramichi Regional Hospital and the Miramichi Medical Day Clinic, announced on Monday that an independent review conducted in December 2007 and January 2008 examined 227 cases of prostate and breast cancer biopsies from 2004-2005.

It found that 18 per cent of the cases had incomplete results, and three per cent were misdiagnosed, according to a news release. The misdiagnoses account for about 10 cases.

"It's very difficult to speculate about whether anybody has lost their life, but it would not be unlikely," Murphy said. "With an incomplete analysis of 18 per cent of cases, improper treatment or a misdiagnosis is highly likely in those instances. We do know a number of cases where he completely missed the diagnosis and said it was benign when it was in fact malignant."

A pathologist is a physician who specializes in diagnosing diseases by examining tissue, blood and body fluids in a laboratory.

"It's extremely serious," Murphy said. "This is something that's outrageous."

The findings have prompted the health authority to review all the pathological reports completed by the former pathologist from 1995 until February 2007.

The re-examination will also include about 100 cases the former pathologist reviewed while working for a brief period for Regional Health Authority 4 in Edmundston in 2002.

"All of us in the department of health are troubled and very concerned by this situation," said Murphy. "Since this situation came to light, we have been gathering information and assisting the Miramichi and Edmundston area health regions in carrying out a review of all cases diagnosed by the former pathologist."

Complaint prompted 'serious concerns'

The Health Department will be reviewing regional health authorities' mandates and processes and asking the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick to review how it carries out disciplinary action, said the minister.

The review is necessary so that New Brunswickers have the confidence that this kind of situation cannot happen again, Murphy said.

"The systems and the processes we have in place to protect patients and to deal with issues of competency must always have the safety of the patient at the front and centre," he said.

"Serious concerns" first arose regarding diagnostic reporting from the former pathologist in January 2007 after another pathologist filed a complaint about the individual's work, according to a health authority press release. Steps were taken at that time to address issues of competency, and the pathologist's licence was suspended immediately, the release said.

An independent review of the health authority's pathology services was then conducted in August 2007 and examined 414 cases from 2006.

It found no reasons for concern in the work of the health authority's current pathologist, said the release, but recommended further review of the former pathologist.

Patients who had their tests analyzed by the former pathologist will be contacted by either their doctor or surgeon.

"Patient safety is a top priority for the Miramichi Regional Health Authority. The organization is open and transparent regarding patient safety concerns," the health authority said in a news release issued Monday.

The health authority said it is not releasing the name of the former pathologist because of privacy issues and because a former pathologist has a lawsuit filed against the organization.