Althouse: "UW-Madison sanctioned 11 faculty doctors and nine residents for writing sick notes for protesters last year...

April 5, 2012

"UW-Madison sanctioned 11 faculty doctors and nine residents for writing sick notes for protesters last year...

"... with three doctors receiving the harshest discipline: loss of five days of pay and removal from leadership positions for four months."

36 comments:

gadfly said...: Firing for ethics violations is the only sensible punishment.; 4/5/12, 4:39 PM
raf said...: Wrist, meet slap.; 4/5/12, 4:39 PM
The Drill SGT said...: good.

I seriously hope they never have a malpractice suit because though they may be blameless, the Plaintiff's counsel is going to remind the jury that they lied before, and in this case?

karma...; 4/5/12, 4:39 PM
Chuck66 said...: My take is that having this on their record (does this always show up?) is the main punishment. Now they have it officially known that they wrote and signed fraudulent notes (documents).

I say worse than the fraud, is that they stood out in the street, holding signs saying they are doing this, and thought nothing wrong about doing it that openly.

What the hell is that? What next? Stand out near a school with a big sign that says "I buy beer for minors"?; 4/5/12, 4:47 PM
edutcher said...: Score another one for ANN and New Meadia Meade.; 4/5/12, 4:48 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: These chandeliers were not too bright.; 4/5/12, 4:48 PM
James Pawlak said...: For myself, I would prefer life-time revocation of medical license.; 4/5/12, 4:55 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: My first instinct is to cheer.. but what does it say that a sign of hope comes from the stupidity of others.. doctors.. getting caught doing stupid things.

Is this news?
Never mind.

I'm thinking deep thoughts..; 4/5/12, 4:57 PM
Tyrone Slothrop said...: Let the punishment fit the crime. For the rest of their careers, whenever they call in sick they should be required to get a doctor's note.; 4/5/12, 4:59 PM
garage mahal said...: Our long national nightmare is over!; 4/5/12, 4:59 PM
kjbe said...: knuvkleheads.; 4/5/12, 5:17 PM
KCFleming said...: Vice often hides behind the mask of some virtue.

Their patients and employers will need to judge whether their mendacity served a larger cause, or merely marks them as willing to lie when convenient.; 4/5/12, 5:17 PM
wef said...: The sanctions seem bland given what is in effect the abuse of authority - falsifying documents, no?

From now on all "doctors' notes" should be ignored.

Can't do the time, don't do the sign.; 4/5/12, 5:23 PM
D.D. Driver said...: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjFbMDp5Pg8; 4/5/12, 5:27 PM
Curious George said...: Not enough, but maybe it will wipe the smile off of this smug douchebag's face.

"You want to get in the middle of that?"; 4/5/12, 5:27 PM
Sydney said...: The punishment does seem rather light for the offense. Their very public act made it clear that a doctors' excuse holds no validity at all.; 4/5/12, 5:29 PM
Anonymous said...: It was a bad idea, didn't help the cause and justice has been served, happy? No? Oh well, can't please all the people all the time.

Maybe they should've been made to sacrifice their firstborn.; 4/5/12, 5:30 PM
Michael said...: Resume enhancers for these docs. Win win.; 4/5/12, 5:36 PM
KCFleming said...: It seems a just punishment. I only wish you could forbid them to play the martyr.; 4/5/12, 5:36 PM
bagoh20 said...: I love those gigs where punishment is a vacation.; 4/5/12, 5:40 PM
Matt Sablan said...: The harshest punishment is a loss of a pay?

I think they mean the harshest punishment that was doled out for this, not the harshest punishment available.; 4/5/12, 5:54 PM
Kirk Parker said...: Yes this needs a 'tiny wrist slap' label.; 4/5/12, 5:56 PM
rcommal said...: I'm glad it wasn't simply ignored, once the story faded, and--cynic that I can be--actually find myself surprised, though pleasantly, that it wasn't.; 4/5/12, 6:10 PM
JAL said...: Pathetic.; 4/5/12, 6:12 PM
KCFleming said...: Every doc cited will be required each year on the state license renewal to acknowledge that they have been so sanctioned. And it will be noted when they move to a new state to start a practice, or apply for a new job in another clinic.

In 5 years this will seem to them less wrist-slappy.

The older guys should have been punished more, but all the other ones are going to find this left a mark.; 4/5/12, 6:12 PM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: AllieOop said...

...and justice has been served, happy? No?

It certainly seems like this should have been conspiracy to commit fraud, a criminal offense. So no, justice has not been served.; 4/5/12, 7:14 PM
Tim said...: They should have an individual mandate of serving no one but Medicaid patients for five years, as part of a "community service" sentence.

Let them live the Lefty Dream, up close and personal.; 4/5/12, 8:35 PM
Banzel said...: No mention of anyone being required to repay the defrauded taxpayers of Wisconsin. Not all of these "sick" protestors came from Madison, so prosecutors other than in-the-tank Dane Co should be able to go after this.; 4/5/12, 9:45 PM
William said...: It wasn't such an outrageous act, and they didn't receive such a harsh punishment. Nonetheless, it would behoove people who live in publicly funded glass houses to refrain from throwing stones. When teachers bring schoolchildren to demonstrations or doctors politicize their practice of medicine, it diminishes their respectability. Doctors and teachers will fail to thrive in an atmosphere where people, i.e. the electorate, question their professionalism.; 4/6/12, 12:06 AM
SukieTawdry said...: Just deserts. Remember this? Good times.; 4/6/12, 1:05 AM
D.D. Driver said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/6/12, 5:45 AM
george said...: What punishments were handed out to the teachers who walked off the job? What about the ones who took the children they were charged to protect with them? And has anyone monitored what sort of intimidation was going on in the classrooms at the time?; 4/6/12, 9:41 AM
Mel said...: UW-Madison has sanctioned them; has the Wisconsin Medical Board or the federal government? I would like to know because HIPAA confidentiality couldn't possibly have been maintained during the protests and there is a several thousand dollar fine per violation under federal law.; 4/6/12, 11:52 AM
walter said...: What's so nice about this is it ends up making you question the under "lying" mindset of UW docs in general. But Dean's response is even more pitiful:

"Dean "has addressed the actions internally," spokeswoman Melissa Wollering said. She wouldn't provide details Thursday about any punishment against Balin."; 4/6/12, 4:25 PM
walter said...: leslyn,
What about George's concern do you disagree with? He's not suggesting HE be the investigator. Id this another "their honor must be protected" (like military budgeters) situation? Seems they tarnished their own honor.; 4/6/12, 4:32 PM
walter said...: What became of Elizabeth Kvach MD?
http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/directory/9579
http://www.leftcoastrebel.com/2011/02/organized-medical-fraud-at-wisconsin.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipqEzJpeqis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjFbMDp5Pg8&feature=player_embedded; 4/6/12, 7:16 PM