A doctor practicing in the West Island has been suspended for ten weeks after failing to properly follow up the case of one of his patients who died in 2017.
It took six months for Dr.Theodore Kass to tell his 77-year-old patient he had invasive melanoma - the pathologist's report somehow getting lost in the shuffle for the doctor who was practicing at several places at once, including the Île Perrot Medical Clinic, Lachine Hospital and St. Anne's Veterans Hospital. The patient died six months later.
The doctor ordered a second specimen analysis in March 2017 even though the pathologist had already told him in September 2016 the first came back positive. That day in September, the doctor was at the veterans hospital and had a very busy schedule.
After realizing his error, Kass set up an appointment right away in April 2017 with a surgeon for his patient who didn't show and died seven months later.
The disciplinary council of the Quebec College of Physicians said in its December 2019 ruling that while it can't declare any link between Kass' inaction and the patient's death, his negligence and inattention resulted in the patient not being cared for in a timely fashion,
The council also ruled that working at all these places should not deprive Kass' patients of medical follow-ups on the state of their health and that he should have redoubled his efforts to follow up properly on the patient in question.
The council took into account that Kass had been practicing for 46 years at that point but also that he pleaded guilty and had a clean record.