State Finds Bellingham, WA Doctor Breached Standard of Care
Dr. Craig K. Moore of Bellingham, Washington has had his doctor’s license put on oversight for two years after the Washington State Department of Health concluded that his care of a woman who was later diagnosed with rectal cancer did not meet the standard of care. Specifically, the Department of Health records show that the doctor failed to properly address the symptoms that the woman communicated with him.
See the timeline review of events that led to the charges.
Bellingham, WA doctor charged with unprofessional conduct in breached standard of care
Reporting by the Bellingham Herald revealed that a Bellingham doctor was charged with unprofessional conduct after he allegedly failed to address the symptoms presented by his female patient who was later diagnosed with rectal cancer. According to the WA State Department of Health, Dr. Craig K. Moore, who specializes in sports medicine and has had a license as a surgeon and physician since 1989, was charged on Feb. 28. Moore’s treatment fell below the standard of care because he didn’t adequately address the patient’s complaints, and his “documentation was incomplete, duplicative and incorrect,” according to the records. In a hearing in early May, 2018, the Department of Health found that there were “weaknesses in his medical record keeping practices that lead to the creation of an unreasonable risk of patient harm.”
According to state records, in the next four months Moore will have to attend continuing education classes on medical record keeping, hold a discussion and write a paper comparing his past and future record keeping and how his new standards will prevent patient harm going forward. In addition, he will undergo unannounced medical practice reviews during each of the two years and be required to pay a $2,500 fine.
What is failure to diagnose cancer?
Failure to diagnose cancer can happen when a family physician or emergency room doctor is too distracted to listen carefully to their patient’s symptoms. If a physician notates the symptoms but fails to perform an appropriate exam, order diagnostic tests or make a referral to an oncologist he or she may have performed below a “standard of care” that a reasonable physician would have used.
If you or a loved one was harmed because of a health care provider’s failure to diagnose seek the expertise of a medical malpractice lawyer. He or she can assess the cause and severity of your injuries and discuss your legal rights.
If you were injured because of medical negligence or lost a loved one due to a preventable medical error, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced medical malpractice attorney fight for justice on your behalf. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a medical negligence lawyer. Call the most experienced practicing medical malpractice attorneys Bellingham has at Tario & Associates, P.S. today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing people injured by medical negligence in Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
