The Director of Investigations for Health Related Boards Denise Moran, says they are looking into the matter because "our mandate is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of Tennessee." In an earlier post I documented a number of complaints from professionals in Frist's own field. And then there was that urgent call for all the Doctor's former patients to get a second opinion, quick.
With all the complaints and questions about the not-so-good doctor, little wonder that Bush showed a lack of faith in Frist by appointing another Tennessean, now actor Fred Thompson, to do Frist's job, or to do the work of getting Supreme Court nominee John Roberts confirmed by the Senate. Obviously, even Bush has doubts about Frist's competence.
Raw Story:
The Tennessee Department of Health has responded to complaints into Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's (R-TN) 'diagnosis' of Florida's Terri Schiavo by videotape, RAW STORY has learned. Their letter, written by Tennessee Department of Health Director of Investigations for Health Related Boards Denise Moran, said that the complaint had been received and "was in the process of being reviewed."
"Thank you for reporting this to us since our mandate is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of Tennessee," she continues.
The letter was sent to a Californian who complained about Frist; RAW STORY has agreed to preserve the source's anonymity. A second individual in Louisiana received an identical letter.
A deputy spokeswoman said they had received about 80 such complaints, which Investigations communications director Andrea Turner later said referred to something else, and was incorrect. Turner said they don't disclose the number of complaints in any case.
“We don’t disclose information about pending investigations, we disclose information once charges have been issued,” Turner told RAW STORY.
"When a complaint comes in, it is an allegation," she added. "Based on an allegation, the process determines whether it is substantiated or has validity.”
Frist, a renowned heart surgeon, took Schiavo's case to the Senate floor in March, said that he had reviewed a videotape of Schiavo and questioned her doctor's assessments.
"I question it based on a review of the video footage which I spent an hour or so looking at last night in my office," he said in a lengthy speech in which he quoted medical texts and standards. "She certainly seems to respond to visual stimuli."
His comments raised ire among Democrats and medical circles.
Laurie Zoloth, director of bioethics for the Center for Genetic Medicine at Northwestern University, told the Washington Post she was surprised at Frist's remarks, noting he has not personally examined the patient.
"It is extremely unusual -- and by a non-neurologist, I might add," Zoloth said.
Raw Story has a copy of the letter from:
TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH BUREAU OF HEALTH LICENSURE AND REGULATION DIVISION OF HEALTH RELATED BOARDS INVESTIGATIONS 3RD FLOOR, CORDELL HULL BUILDING 425 5TH AVENUE NORTH NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37247-0110 1-800-852-2187
Tags: Democrat
