Review clears suspended radiologist: N.L. authority

Health authorities in central Newfoundland have reinstated the privileges of a radiologist they suspended in early June amid questions about the quality of his work.

Central Health said Monday that a thorough review of the unnamed Gander-based physician who was suspended after some of his tests were questioned by colleagues found an acceptable margin of error.

Karen McGrath, the chief executive officer of Central Health, maintains that the authority did the right thing by informing the public about the suspension and its review.

"I think [one thing that patients] should feel some assurance on is that we did act," McGrath said Monday.

"We took their concerns seriously, that we investigated those concerns, and the results of the investigation state that the physician is indeed competent to practise medicine, or radiology at James Paton [Hospital]."

The radiologist has been compensated for time off, said McGrath, adding that she hopes he will return to work within the next week.

The incident involved the second radiologist to be suspended in Newfoundland and Labrador within a matter of weeks.

Eastern Health is still assessing a massive review of records generated by suspended Burin Peninsula radiologist Fred Kasirye.

Earlier this month, chief executive officer George Tilley resigned under heavy criticism for how the authority has handled the review, as well as a coinciding dispute over error-prone tests involving breast cancer patients.

Last month, McGrath said the authority would not ordinarily have informed the public that it was reviewing the work of a physician. However, she said, the public uproar involving Eastern Health prompted officials to speak out.

McGrath said that of a sample of about 500 tests generated by the Paton Hospital radiologist, fewer than 10 per cent were questionable. She said that is within an acceptable margin of error.

McGrath said patients were contacted if the doctors conducting the review disagreed with their initial diagnosis.