The medical community in Boston seems to think that DiPietro's rape was an unfortunate incident which damaged the entire profession and had no bearing on the three doctors' ability as physicians. "Some very, very fine people have been unnecessarily hurt, people who have important jobs to do and all this attention is interfering with their work," a colleague of Hussain. Letkowitz and Sherry said.
The largest controversy within the national medical community crupted when it was revealed after the train that three Harvard affiliated doctors wrote flattering letters of recommendation which Hussain used to obtain a position on the staff of anaesthesia at the Buffalo Children's Hospital. None of the letters mentioned his prior rape conviction.
After lengthy investigations both the Medical School and the Massachusetts Medical Society recently released reports dealing with the letters of recommendation. In early January the Med School released a "golden rule" policy which stated that letters must include comments about both a doctor's strengths and weaknesses. The policy was called a statement of common sense but still a somewhat needed affirmation of principles. "The whole medical community was really shaken [by the Hussain recommendations]." r. Curtis Prout, assistant clinical professor of medicine, said last week.
Earlier this month the MMS officially censured and placed on probation Drs. Benjamin Covino, head of the anaesthesiology department at BWH. Aaron J. Gissen, professor of anaesthesiology, and John A. Wark, a former anaesthesiology staff member at BWH, for writing the recommendations. The censure is the harshest disciplinary action short of expulsion the society can hand down. Although the MMS is not directly involved with issuing licenses, it will inform the state board of their action. However, Dr. William B. Munier, the society's executive vice president, said recently he did not think the letters were a serious enough action for the doctors to lose their licenses but admitted it would have a serious effect on their careers.
Although the medical community has seemed somewhat unsure about how to deal with the DiPietro rape and letters of recommendation, it has been clearer on the implications of the latest charges against Hussain. The universal feeling is that any kind of assault on a patient is a most serious matter and definitely does affect his ability to practice.
"When you talk about a physician you are talking about more than a technical competence. There is a whole system of caring and trust that goes along with being a doctor." Thomas Sullivan, a spokesman for Buffalo Children's Hospital said. Dr. Marshall A. Falk, executive vice president and dean of the School of Health Sciences. University of Chicago Medical School, agreed: "You are dealing with public trust. The relationship with a doctor is different than the one you have with a plumber."
The Hussain case has forced the medical community to evaluate itself and although not everyone agrees on the exact action that should be taken, much attention has been given to the question of whether or not a doctor convicted of a crime of violence not directly related to his profession should be treated the same way as once who commits the same crime in the course of his work. Perhaps more importantly the medical community is beginning to consider what doctors responsibilities are to each other and how the profession should monitor itself.
As Bernard L . Towers, co-director of trhe CCLA program in Medicine, Law and Human Values, said recentrly, "There is ano question that the medical profession is remiss in policing itslef. There is a lot that goes on that people turn a blind eye to and a great many people don't want to get involved" At least some leaders of the medical profession are tryhing to change that now.