Mass. case highlights systemic problems

The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine two months ago suspended a prominent obesity surgeon’s medical license, accusing him of a pattern of negligence and declaring him an “immediate and serious threat’’ to the public. Investigators charge that he did not recognize and treat post-surgery complications quickly enough in four patients, two of whom died. The surgeon denies the allegations and has appealed the suspension.

Regardless of the outcome, the case exposes defects in the healthcare system’s efforts to protect patients: Medical boards can take months to act on complaints, hospitals do not routinely communicate with each other about disciplinary actions against physicians, and the medical board does not automatically contact hospitals either when suspensions or similar measures are reported to it.