Watch Part 1 in the Global News’ series on a perceived culture of cover up at the Lakeshore General Hospital here.
MONTREAL – Dr. Gilles Bourdon not only showed up late for the first day of his disciplinary hearing, he pulled out some notes on a napkin and asked to have the case postponed since he didn’t have a lawyer.
The surgeon is facing sanctions for failing to follow-up a cancer patient and for refusing to give her the treatment she wanted.
Bourdon had little to say to Global News, but in front of the disciplinary committee he explained that the last few months of his life have been very difficult.
In September, he made headlines after the lakeshore general hospital recalled 684 incomplete colonoscopy exams – but Dr. Bourdon was in the hot seat long before then.
In 2009, Dr. Gilles Bourdon was suspended for failing to adequately follow up close to 500 patients. What’s more, he’s now facing at least 10 civil lawsuits in Quebec for a long list of reasons.
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Malpractice lawyer Jean-Pierre Menard says it’s surprising that the Lakeshore General Hospital allowed him to practice despite mounting evidence of negligence.
“It’s a very major issue,” he said. “This kind of pattern should usually bring very very close attention by the hospital about how this doctor is practicing.”
Bourdon still practices medicine and minor surgery in his Pointe Claire clinic.
He came to an agreement with the College of Physicians this past summer to stop performing surgeries in hospitals.
The decision came after the college clearly condemned bourdon for botching another woman’s surgery.
Today’s case is under a publication ban – so the affected patient cannot be identified, but Global News recently met with Jacques Gaucher who blames Dr. Bourdon for his wife’s death after a colonoscopy.
Gaucher has no legal recourse because it’s been more than three years since the test that should have detected his wife’s cancer.
In Tuesday’s case, doctors and lawyers for the disciplinary committee called Bourdon negligent and nonchalant.
Eventually, Bourdon returned to the hearing with a lawyer late in the day – and the College agreed to postpone his disciplinary hearing to next April.
In the meantime Dr. Bourdon still has the right to see and treat patients in his West Island clinic.
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