Dr. Schug was one of a handful of physicians in California facing murder charges stemming from their clinical decisions. One doctor is standing trial for the death of a patient whose uterus he perforated during an abortion. Another case involves a liposuction performed by a plastic surgeon practicing without a California license, and Los Angeles officials are considering bringing murder charges against another doctor for a liposuction gone awry. Nationwide, several physicians in the recent past have been convicted of lesser clinical crime charges. A New York physician recently had his sentence commuted and is seeking a pardon from the governor for his 1993 conviction on two misdemeanors involving his care of a nursing home patient.
Every doctor is in their own little world.
His conviction made him ineligible for Medicare and Medicaid for five years, crippling his internal medicine practice. Dangerous fallout predicted Although these cases may not yet constitute a trend, the flurry of activity has many medical leaders concerned. They warn that the specter of criminal prosecution for clinical mistakes could make doctors reluctant to treat the sickest patients or to participate in quality improvement activities that could be used against their colleagues in the courtroom. Civil litigation and licensing actions, they argue, are the appropriate venues for addressing physician missteps that harm patients. AMA policy opposes criminal prosecution of clinical decision-making and supports model state legislation to prohibit such cases.