PHILIPSBURG:--- The past days various articles have appeared in the news media on the employment of a new anesthesiologist by the SMMC. The Inspectorate had received information on May 22nd on which it concluded that insufficient due diligence had been conducted in the case of this specialist who started working as of May 23rd in the SMMC.
In close consultation with the Minister VSA and the SMMC and in order to ensure the quality and safety of care provided on the island, the Inspectorate ordered the SMMC on May 31st to suspend the patient care provided by this specialist, until an investigation by the Inspectorate into the qualifications of the specialist was completed. The Inspectorate had indicated to finalize this investigation within a week time.
By not complying with the order the SMMC risks a steep penalty being imposed by the Inspectorate.
The Inspectorate has concluded its investigation today. The anesthesiologist is a qualified medical doctor and has successfully completed a two yr. post graduate training in anesthesiology in the Ukraine. This post graduate training of 2 yrs. is not equivalent to the 5 yrs. curriculum in anesthesiology in the Netherlands a/o the USA. In the Ukraine after the initial 2 yrs. progression in the field of anesthesiology is obtained through supervised clinical working experience, mandatory training and accredited continuous medical training (CME) including an exam, in cycles of 5 yrs. Upon successful completion of 2 cycles of 5 yrs. the specialist becomes registered as a “senior registrar”. In the underlying case this was completed in February 2013.
Based on the outcome of the investigation, his years of (supervised) experience and mandatory courses and CME, the anesthesiologist is allowed to provide patient care in the field of general anesthesiology without exercising the sub specialties until more information has been submitted to the Inspectorate.
