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    Home » Buttocks photo, patient initials lead to doctor’s dismissal

    Buttocks photo, patient initials lead to doctor’s dismissal

    May 1, 2014
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    Buttocks photo, patient initials lead to doctor’s dismissal

    The lawsuit against Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, MI, filed by Catherine Puetz, MD, outlines the incident that led to her dismissal. This is a summary:

    The incident occurred on Aug. 5, 2013, when the former associate medical director of emergency services saw a picture of a patient’s bottom on Facebook that was posted by an emergency department nurse. Puetz thought she recognized the woman’s buttocks as belonging to someone she had seen in the ED and also outside of the hospital. She posted a comment to the photo that read "OMG. Is that TB?"

    A nurse also posted a comment to the photo that read "I like big butts and I cannot lie…," a line from a song by Sir Mix-a-Lot. When the exchange was reported to hospital officials soon after, Spectrum Health investigated and took "appropriate action," according to a statement released by the hospital. Puetz, an employee of Emergency Care Specialists, an independent contractor that provides emergency department staff to Spectrum Health, was fired. The nurse that quoted the song lyric was reprimanded. It is not clear how Spectrum disciplined the nurse who posted the photo. Spectrum Health declined to comment and Puetz’s attorney could not be reached.

    Puetz recently filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Spectrum Health Hospitals, President Kevin Splaine and Vice President Jeanne Roode.

    In her lawsuit, Puetz contends that she submitted an apology to the nursing director and was assured by the chief medical officer that her job was not on the line. Nine days after the posting, however, Puetz was notified that she was being dismissed as associate medical director in emergency services but could continue to work as an emergency physician. Five days after that, she was told that she could not practice medicine at any Spectrum Health facility.

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    Healthcare Risk Management

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    Healthcare Risk Management 2014-05-01
    May 1, 2014

    Table Of Contents

    Health system sued by doctor who was fired for Facebook post

    Buttocks photo, patient initials lead to doctor’s dismissal

    CMO’s statement could complicate hospital’s defense

    State laws can affect your whistleblower response

    Dig into social media as defense to dismissal lawsuits

    Huddles getting popular, but use them correctly

    Interventions reduce serious events 83% at one hospital

    Stanford, contractor to pay $4.1 million over privacy

    HHS releases security risk assessment tool

    HHS final CLIA rule allows reports to patients

    Consumer Reports ranks safest hospitals

    CDC wants every hospital to use an antibiotic checklist, improve safety

    Going too far with HIPAA compliance threatens care provided to patients

    Policies should address difficult HIPAA scenarios

    Tactical approach takes advantage of confusion

    Report finds HIPAA hindering data usage

    HHS considering change for background checks

    Health system uncovers inside data breach

    HHS to survey 1,200 — Audits might follow

    First ever settlement with local government

    Failure to diagnose premature labor leads to impairments for infant, $42 million verdict

    Misdiagnosis of flu instead of pneumonia results in death for 10-year-old girl

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