Local physician reprimanded for disruptions; Coworkers complained about his actions.Byline: Anna L. Griffin The Board of Registration in Medicine reprimanded Dr. William S. Friedman of Westminster yesterday for inappropriate and disruptive behavior with co-workers. The board said it would report the reprimand REPRIMAND, punishment. The censure which in some cases a public office pronounces against an offender. 2. This species of punishment is used by legislative bodies to punish their members or others who have been guilty of some impropriety of conduct towards them. to the national physician data bank. In a news release yesterday, the board noted that Dr. Friedman had been disciplined by UMass Memorial Health Care - HealthAlliance Leominster Campus. Mary Lourdes Burke, chief communications officer The chief communications officer or CCO is a job title for the head of communications, public relations and/or public affairs within an organization. Most typically, the CCO reports to the chief executive officer (CEO) of a corporate entity or president of an operating unit. at the hospital, said Dr. Friedman is an independent physician and not employed by HealthAlliance Hospital. He does have privileges at the hospital. Dr. Friedman maintains a private practice as a family physician at 116 Main St., Westminster. The board said Dr. Friedman "has engaged in conduct that lacks good moral character and has engaged in conduct that undermines the public confidence in the integrity of the medical profession." According to documents from the board, Dr. Friedman admitted to facts described the consent order. It described five different incidents: In January 2006, a 42-year-old technician in the maternal child health unit at the hospital was cleaning up the operating room operating room n. Abbr. OR A room equipped for performing surgical operations. when Dr. Friedman returned to it and, without provocation, kissed her on her lips. On another occasion - the date was not noted - a 47-year old surgical technician reported that twice, while suturing during a procedure, he brought a suture suture /su·ture/ (soo´cher) 1. sutura. 2. a stitch or series of stitches made to secure apposition of the edges of a surgical or traumatic wound. 3. to apply such stitches. 4. close to her eye, which caused her to move her head. His behavior caused her to wear a protective face shield during subsequent procedures. A 42-year-old surgical technician in the labor and delivery unit said that on several occasions, Dr. Friedman made comments or gestures of a sexual nature. For example, when she handed instruments to Dr. Friedman, he grabbed her hand and rubbed it while making moaning noises. A 50-year-old certified nurse midwife certified nurse midwife Nurse midwife Obstetrics A registered state-licensed registered nurse who, by virtue of added knowledge and skill gained through an organized program of study and clinical experience, is qualified to manage the care of women and/or newborns who is trained to assist during surgical procedures in labor and delivery at HealthAlliance said that on one occasion - the date was not noted - the doctor physically blocked her from assisting in a procedure. He remained at the side of the patient, grabbing instruments from her, and questioning her regarding anatomy while the patient was awake and alert behind a drape drape v. To cover, dress, or hang with or as if with cloth in loose folds. n. A cloth arranged over a patient's body during an examination or treatment or during surgery, designed to provide a sterile field around the area. . And a 52-year-old registered nurse in labor and delivery said that during a C-section, she discovered a lap sponge was missing. The date on this incident was not noted. The doctor told her he thought the lap sponge went with the baby at the time of delivery and he would not stop suturing the patient. The nurse said she repeatedly asked the doctor and the attending obstetrician obstetrician /ob·ste·tri·cian/ (ob?ste-trish´in) one who practices obstetrics. ob·ste·tri·cian n. A physician who specializes in obstetrics. to stop suturing. The attending obstetrician ultimately cut the sutures and found the sponge inside the patient. This nurse also said she saw the doctor behaving rudely or unprofessionally toward technicians when they handed him the wrong instrument, including slapping technicians' hands, causing instruments to drop. HealthAlliance filed a Health Care Facility Action Report with the board on Dec. 1, 2006, in which it said Dr. Friedman had been reprimanded and required to attend continuing medical education continuing medical education See CME. courses dealing with disruptive behavior and sexual harassment-boundary issues. The doctor entered into a monitoring contract with Physician Health Services health services Managed care The benefits covered under a health contract and completed a course in workplace boundary issues. The organization wrote the board that he has been compliant with that contract since entering into it. Dr. Friedman is a 1977 graduate of the Medical College of Wisconsin. He has been licensed in Massachusetts since 1980. He is affiliated with Montachusett Women's Health Women's Health Definition Women's health is the effect of gender on disease and health that encompasses a broad range of biological and psychosocial issues. and provides surgical assisting services to MWH See watt-hour. physicians in the labor and delivery unit at HealthAlliance. Information from the board indicated that he has courtesy privileges at Athol Memorial Hospital in Athol, Heywood Hospital in Gardner and UMass Memorial Health Care - Clinton Hospital in Clinton. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion