One presumes tat some of those who would not speak received settlements including confidentiality clauses-which would make it all the worse.
That's pathetic. For me, that's the core problem. Honestly, I really would reconsider reporting someone if I could be sued to desperation. On the other hand, if there are factual proofs? Secondly, doctors stick to each other. It's not so important that a neurosurgeon cuts main arteries so that people bleed to death, it's more important that he gets a job and that the profession has a good reputation. I can understand it. If a doctor can't do his job, it's over or he'll need to go back to education (which is expensive). It seems, though, the doctor's financial security is more important than the patients' life and financial security. Maybe the only way is the criminal law - but not in Germany. The prosecution blocks nearly all criminal charges against the medical profession. I think such an extreme case is not common. Still it makes you think twice in the future.
That's basically the system that the Catholic church built to shield pedophile priests. Never a good thing when such a comparison can be made so directly. There is a serious problem of quality control and accountability in medicine. I think that's why there is so much hostility to patient engagement, because we're the only ones who can speak to those issues.
Great comparison - you are right. I was being a bit cynical with my understanding in my post. Although I can logically understand the motivation behind the behavior, this is no justification for harming other people. There are constantly "conflicts of interests", a certain interest cannot be the justification for disabling or killing people. That's why we have laws or other regulations because, obviously, some people need them to understand their behavior is not accepted. But it's known these regulations don't hold for certain circles (your example is one), and that certain interests are "more important".
Just an aside, but it is an issue that makes me angry. The issues with the catholic church, and they were just the first now we know it happened in all religions and institutions, are rightly condemned, but no one ever mentions the root problem in historical abuse especially. The PSYCHIATRIC view in the 80s and 90s was that abuse was caused by overly sexualised CHILDREN. The poor men were seen as just unable to resist. The answer was to get them away from these predator children. The change in world view from that time is mindblowing and gives me hope ME will get the same turnabout. As has now become the pattern with all the abuse and crimes of psychiatry the profession is allowed to carry on causing pain and driving people to suicide with never a backward look.
If they fired him for demonstrated "ineptitude", why would that expose them to legal problems? Why was he allowed to resume surgical training at all?