CORNWALL, Ontario – The chair of the Cornwall Community Hospital Board has been suspended by his governing body and ordered to pay a sizable amount of costs for misconduct.
Michael Turcotte, a city chiropodist and foot specialist who operates at the Foot and Ankle Clinic in Cornwall, has been disciplined by the College of Chiropodists of Ontario for providing ineffective or improper treatment to the patient and failing to keep proper records of his interactions with the patient.
The college will collect $15,000 from Turcotte before the end of the year to cover the costs associated with the hearing and disciplinary measures.
Also, Turcotte was slapped with a six-month suspension, which will be cut in half when he complies with orders to complete ethics and wound-care courses. His hearing took place in April.
The action against Turcotte was initiated after complaints surfaced following a patient case he was involved with in late 2012 involving a 92-year-old diabetic woman, listed in documentation as “M.M.” who was suffering from an ulcer on her left foot, among other ailments.
The college found that Turcotte failed to properly assess the ulceration and record relevant characteristics of the lesion, including the treatment options he prescribed.
“Turcotte provided treatment to M.M. which he knew or ought to have known was ineffective, unnecessary, deleterious or inappropriate to meet her needs,” the college said in a notice of hearing on the matter.
The family of the elderly woman was outraged at the care she received.
“The patient, M.M., went from being an independent 92 year old woman living in her own home to a life confined to a wheelchair being cared for by others,” said a family spokesperson to wished to remain anonymous. “After months of unsuccessfully challenging the complaint, Turcotte did admit the allegations against him to be true and correct.”
The spokesperson indicated that M.M. was in significant pain and discomfort.
“After nine weeks of treatment at his clinic with no improvement in the ulcer and in increasing pain she was taken from her home by ambulance to the Cornwall ER and admitted,” the spokesperson said. “Infection in the heel bone was suspected and confirmed with a bone scan. The bone destruction was so advanced her lower leg was amputated on Jan. 3, 2013.”
Turcotte issued a statement when reached by Seaway News, suggesting he and M.M. were at odds at times.
“This matter represents a patient complaint,” Turcotte said. “My patient and I had significant differences of opinion and understanding of the facts and issues that were the subject of the complaint.
“My commitment has always been to my patients and my community and therefore did not wish to challenge my patient’s views and perceptions and as such settled this matter as described.”
Jeanette Despatie, CEO the Cornwall Community Hospital, said there would be little comment from her facility.
“This is a matter between Dr. Turcotte, his patients and his college,” she said. “He had no clinical privileges here.”
Despatie said Turcotte will complete his three-year term as board chair in June and will be replaced. His replacement, said Despatie, has nothing to do with the case before the College of Chiropodists of Ontario.
The college said M.M.’s foot continued to be “red, swollen and painful” while she was cared for by Turcotte.
A chiropodist, also called a doctor of chiropody medicine, is a specialist who provides medical diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle problems, such as bunions, heel pain, spurs and calluses among others.
