Fifteen years later, there is another investigation.  But this time, it’s his telephone system causing the “trouble.”

Dr. Wright received a letter from his state medical board, the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission (MQAC) which stated that they had “received a complaint alleging that your office procedure of having all incoming telephone calls go to voice mail resulted in considerable physician-patient communication problems with the potential of harm to patients…”

The letter went on to demand a “written summary discussing the above allegation” within 14 days, but contained no allegation of harm to any patient caused by Tahoma Clinic’s telephone system.

For the record, here’s what you hear after dialing Tahoma Clinic:

“Good Morning. Thank you for calling the Tahoma Clinic. Our normal office hours are 9-5, Monday through Friday, Pacific time. If this is an emergency, please hang up and dial 911.  If you know your party’s extension, please enter it now. To schedule an appointment please press 1. To speak to a physician’s office, please press 2. For referral to a doctor in your area please press 3. For billing questions press 4.  For our fax number and directions to the Clinic press 5.  For all other inquiries please press 6.”

No Patient Harm or Even Patient InvolvementLast year, the MQAC investigated Tahoma Clinic when—with no patient complaint and no allegation of patient harm— MQAC went after the Tahoma Clinic website for what they apparently considered heresy and unacceptable deviation from the mainstream party line. Now it’s their telephone system. Dr. Wright asks, “What’s next? Our HVAC system? Inadequate parking? Perhaps our full-spectrum fluorescent lighting?”

Fair and Balanced?In November, you might have read about MQAC’s “gentle” treatment of the “mainstream” physician whose patient apparently died after surgery because the physician couldn’t be reached, by telephone or otherwise. If you recall, that physician was fined $1,000 and required to write a new policy regarding post-operative follow up procedures, along with a 1,000 word paper.[1]

Dr. Wright wonders if the MQAC investigator will be as lenient with the Tahoma Clinic, since no one has died—or been harmed in any way at all—by the allegations against their telephone system. If they propose settling the investigation for a 1,000 word paper about phone systems, and a $1,000 fine, they might even consider it....after checking with their attorney, of course.

Considering they’re demanding a written summary now, before even issuing charges, holding hearings, or determining a “sanction”—and considering the “sanctions” imposed on integrative practitioners such as Dr. Stephen Smith and Dr. Geoff Ames for equally harmless “violations”— it’s obvious that “mainstream” practitioners receive “special” treatment in Washington state – as every other state.

This Is Why AAHF Is HereOur bill to protect licensed practitioners (particularly in the absence of patient harm or complaint) will be reintroduced in Washington state beginning of 2008. This is a bill that we wrote last year that addresses the unfair attacks on health care providers simply because they are using a procedure (treatment, diagnostic, philosophy) that someone disagrees with or in cases where there is no patient harm or even patient complaint.   Click here to read a bill draft.

This bill has real “teeth” to it and will offer stronger protection to licensed practitioners from needless investigations and “fishing expeditions” – simply because they are integrative practitioners.  This is model language (along with our process) that we intend on using with our growing state chapters.

This bill passed the Washington Senate unanimously and was held up in the House by the Health chairwoman.  Our Washington chapter has been working furiously in the past few months to build support for this bill.  As soon as it is introduced we will let you know so you can help support the bill.

In the meantime, your financial support is more important than ever.  No matter where you live, please consider joining AAHF (or making a donation) to help us with our efforts in Washington and in other states.

[1] “Appendix J: Performance Audit Report, Department of Health, Health Professions Quality Assurance—Executive Summary, Report #1000002,” Washington State Auditor’s Office, 8/21/07 (full Audit Report available at http://www.sao.wa.gov/Reports/AuditReports/AuditReportFiles/ar1000002.pdf)

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