At least five orthopedic surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston are accused of repeatedly double-booking surgeries, leaving patients under anesthesia longer than they would have been if the surgeon was only focused on one case, according to the Boston Globe.
Here are five key notes:
1. Lisa Wollman, MD, filed the lawsuit against Massachusetts General Hospital after witnessing surgeons perform simultaneous operations without the patients' consent.
2. Dr. Wollman alleges that the surgeons defrauded the government by submitting bills for surgeries in which the surgeons were not in the operating room for critical portions of the procedure.
3. On June 7, Massachusetts General Hospital released a statement saying, "The Massachusetts General Hospital continues to believe that its practices comply with all applicable laws and regulation, and the hospital will defend the claims accordingly."
4. University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, researchers found no increase in complications in operations that overlapped by 45 minutes.
5. The American College of Surgeons last year issued its first-ever guidelines saying concurrent surgeries are broadly permissible, within limits, recommend the surgeon tell the patient if they plan to run more than one operating room at a time.
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