Dr. Caroline Goyer, an anesthetist at Royal Victoria Hospital, has been suspended for three months due to significant ethical violations, including signing documents without oversight and allowing a colleague to supervise multiple patients while she was away. She admitted to several infractions, such as permitting unqualified staff to manage sedation and billing for services not rendered. This case underscores the importance of ethical standards in medicine, particularly following previous sanctions against other anesthetists in her department.
Suspension of Anesthetist for Ethical Violations
Dr. Caroline Goyer, an anesthetist at the Royal Victoria Hospital, has recently received a three-month suspension for serious ethical breaches, including signing medical documents without proper oversight and allowing a colleague to manage two patients at once while she dined out. This case highlights the critical need for medical professionals to adhere to ethical standards, as emphasized by the disciplinary council of the College of Physicians of Quebec (CMQ).
Serious Infractions and Consequences
Dr. Goyer admitted to committing multiple severe infractions between December 2016 and April 2019. Notably, she left the hospital for approximately an hour to attend a lunch celebrating the department’s secretaries, which was just five minutes away. During this time, she instructed fellow anesthetist Thierry Daloze to cover for her in case of an emergency, leading to him being responsible for two operating rooms at once. Dr. Daloze himself faced a five-week suspension due to this situation.
Nearly three years later, Goyer found herself in a similar predicament, worrying about being late for a meeting at another hospital. Despite these concerns, she returned to the Royal Victoria to begin procedures on time. The council pointed out the significant duration of her absence and the troubling recurrence of such behavior over the years.
In addition to these issues, Dr. Goyer allowed respiratory therapists to oversee sedation plans and monitor vital signs for four patients, which the council deemed a serious violation due to the lack of necessary qualifications among the staff. This action unnecessarily put patients at risk.
Moreover, Goyer’s integrity came into question when she signed prescriptions and discharge documents without ever meeting the patients involved. Despite not providing these services, she billed the state over $1,000 for them. The CMQ highlighted that billing for examinations not conducted warrants a strict penalty.
Sources have indicated that Dr. Goyer and her colleague Thierry Daloze are part of a larger group of anesthetists at the Royal Victoria Hospital, known for ongoing conflicts. Two additional doctors from this group, Thomas Schricker and Ralph Bernd Lattermann, faced sanctions from the CMQ last year. Dr. Schricker, a well-known figure in anesthesiology, was recently replaced as head of the anesthesia department at McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.