Question

To reduce the number of wrong-site surgeries in the United States, The Joint Commission's National Patient Safecy Goals (2012) include the mandate that all operative sites be marked prior to surgery. The operating surgeon is required to make the site marking in the preoperative area just before the patient is taken into the operating room. Dr. Townes, a busy pediatric surgeon who does many operations at Center City Memorial Hospital, has been extremely resistant to marking his patients especially patients undergoing hernia repair. There have been arguments between Dr. Townes and the operating room (OR) nurses. The OR nurses have been instructed not to bring patients into the OR until they are properly marked. Despite site marking being The Joint Commission mandate, Dr. Townes refuses to mark the site and states it is detrimental to a child's well-being to have some stranger draw or initial near the patient's private parts. the Chief of Surgery, you are called upon to resolve this issue on the spot. You decide that if the surgical site is not marked, then Dr. Townes would have to explain this to the parents of the patient and have them sign a release agreeing not to have the site marked and acknowledging that omitting the marking may cause more risk for wrong-site surgery. After considering this option, Dr. Townes decides the consent procedure is more bothersome than just marking the site. Discussion Questions

Answer 1

3. One should follow the constitutional procedure announced or given by authorities. In this case even Dr. Townes too comes under the legislation and should follow the regulations without fail. Violation of this may leads to create new problems to the hospital as well as to the doctor personally. The issue should be settled either by involving third party or making discussions by these two parties only.

4. I think it is required procedure as i said abouve and one should follow in the same way. If customized solutions were prepared, then every one may find their own excuses and owy answers to not follow the policies.

5. He may be a very good doctor, rate of success is higher in operations, but if he do not follow the procedure, then it becomes a limitation him only. Once, a law or policy is implementing, it should be implement unconditionally and without fail. In this case, Dr. Townes has to follow the procedure like any other doctor without fail.