Alliance for Patient Safety

KM Smootrich: Dr Lev, Do you have data about physicians or medical teams with reoccurring negligence ? 

KM German: When I was Secretary of Health I received a complaint regarding a physician SEVEN (7) YEARS AFTER the 1st incident. 

                     Over that period of time, there were 4 additional complaints about that physician. 

                     The 1st complaint was NEVER investigated ! 

                     He did not kill anyone, he was a dentist. Due to the delay, he caused the suffering of 4 more patients. 

Dr Lev: Our Audit Committee has no authority over dentists. There is a another body that deals with dentists. 

KM Smootrich: What do you do when you have a 3rd complaint about negligence by the same physician which puts the life of a patient in danger ?

Dr Lev: When I receive a 1st complaint about behavior that could endanger a patient, I do every effort to stop immediately his activity. 

Amiad Taub: Why did you not do it in our case ? 

                     Why did you not do anything in the 6 cases were the Attorney General determined that their conduct was criminal ?

KM Elharar: The purpose of this hearing is to try to solve the problems that plague the healthcare system by creating a legislation for the future. 

               There is no doubt that we must have a strong & credible Audit Commission I agree

Dr Lev: I agree

KM German: In every organization internal investigations are confidential and corrective measures. 

                     In the Military, whenever there is a training accident the commander is held responsible if he causes the death of a soldier due to 

                     failure to follow the safety measures. In such a circumstance, he will NOT be promoted. 

Yet, I did NOT see a single case where your Committee prevented the promotion of a physician when you determined yourselves that he was negligent. 

Dr Lev: We do NOT have such authority presently, but it is very important that we do have such Power. Our only options are to either acquit or transfer 

            the complaint. Many times we approach the Director of the Institution and say: “Do us a favor, discontinue this person’s work because we think 

            that he poses a risk to patients. We included such power in the proposed new law.”