First Do No Harm (Benjamin Davis Book Series, Book 1) by A. Turk Read Free Book Online

hospital.
    She reread the document. Herman had stacked the deck against her. He even had the hospital’s lawyer at the meeting.
How did they get Mr. Stevenson here so fast? Could my confrontation with Herman have been some sort of setup?
    Dr. Kelly interrupted her thoughts. “What do you have to say for yourself, Doctor?”
    She started to respond, “Sir, I would really—”
    Grayson Stevenson III pulled from his inside coat pocket a small tape recorder. “Let’s keep a record of what’s said here today.” Stevenson turned the recorder on.
    Laura heard the click and hiss of the tape. She was a little intimidated by Stevenson and his tape recorder but pressed forward: “I’ll agree to this meeting being recorded as long as you’ll give me a copy of the tape.”
    Douglas agreed.
    Laura described what happened between Herman and the drunken patient in the ER: “The patient was intoxicated and belligerent, but he was an admitted patient. That patient was entitled to full patient rights under the hospital’s Code of Conduct and the Declaration of Patients’ Rights. Dr. Herman threw the patient to the ground and broke his ribs.”
    “I had a right to defend myself,” interjected Herman.
    “You were totally unprofessional and abusive. You called me an ‘Indian bitch’ and a ‘dyke.’ I find those remarks very degrading,” she fired back at him.
    This time, Douglas interrupted, “Well, are you?”
    She was shocked by Douglas’s question but managed a quick comeback: “My father was born in India. I was born in West Fargo, North Dakota. I’m sure we can all agree that I’m not a female dog, although that’s not what he meant. My sexual orientation is my own business.”
    Herman chirped in, “So you’re not denying that you’re a lesbian?”
    Stevenson whispered something in Herman’s ear.
    Seeing this angered Laura, and she lost her cool. “I thought we were putting this meeting on the record. Why is Dr. Herman whispering? Mr. Stevenson, what is the good doctor hiding?”
    It was Stevenson’s turn to be aggressive. “Dr. Patel, your last statement was a misrepresentation of the events and distorted the record. Dr. Herman didn’t whisper in my ear. Rather I whispered in his. I have no personal knowledge of any of the facts being investigated, so the only thing I could have told him was legal advice. My legal advice to him is protected by the attorney-client privilege.”
    She was shaken. If she wasn’t, she might have pointed out that Stevenson represented the hospital, not Dr. Herman.
    The office felt small and hot, but she managed to regain her composure. “Before I move on from what happened this morning, I want to state for the record that almost every member of the ER staff can verify what I’ve said and can confirm the inappropriate behavior of Dr. Herman. I intend to collect written statements—”
    Dr. Kelly jumped in hard and barked at her, “You’ll do no such thing. No one other than the Executive Medical Committee will investigate these charges. If our investigation is interfered with or hampered by you in any way, there will be serious consequences. Do you understand, Dr. Patel? Do you have anything more to say?”
    She decided that since a record was being made, she might as well be sure it was complete. She decided not to hold anything back and started to give her statement.
    Dr. Kelly immediately interrupted, “If that’s all, Dr. Patel, we’ll adjourn this meeting.”
    The hospital’s investigation is going to be a whitewash. This might be my last opportunity to say my piece
. “No, I’m not done, sir. There’s a scam going on, and this hospital is a part of it. Mr. Douglas knows about it. I’ve reported it to him twice and made a formal complaint. A woman died unnecessarily two months ago because of it.”
    Glancing at Dr. Herman, she watched his bright blue eyes turn to steel. “This scheme has to do with laparoscopic gallbladder surgeries recommended by Dr. Herman