>>
>> Reporter: HIS WEAPONS OF CHOICE, SCALPELS AND SURGICAL
TOOLS.
TOOLS.
TOOLS. >>
TOOLS. >> IT HAS THE APPEARANCE
PATIENTS WERE TREATED LIKE
CANNON FODDER.
CANNON FODDER. >> THIS CANNOT HAP+@PEN IN THE
UNITED STATES. WHERE YOU CAN DO
SUCH A PROCEDURE AND+@ HAVE SUC
COMPLICATION. +@
COMPLICATION. +@ >> Reporter: DUNTSCH GOT LIFE .
CONVICTED LED TO TWO PATIENT
DEATHS.
DEATHS.
DEATHS. AND MORE TO DUBLIN OTHERS WERE
MAIMED OR PARALYZED.
THIS IS NOT JUST A STORY ABOUT
THE NOTORIOUS SU+@RGEON.
IT+@ IS ABOUT A BROKEN SYSTEM.
IS+@ CALLED THE NATI+@ONAL
PRACTITIONER DATA BANK.
THE DATABANK WAS SET UP BY
CONGRESS TO FL+@AG BAD DOCTORS
AND PROTECT PATIENTS.
REQUIR+@ES HOSPITALS, MEDICAL
BOARDS AND INSURANCE CARRIERS
TO REPORT PROBLEM DOCTORS.
>> IT WAS CREATED TO PREVENT
DANGEROUS OR INCOMPETENT
DOCTORS FROM TRAVELING FRO+@M
HOSPITAL TO HOSPITAL OR STATE
TO STATE WITHOUT BEING
DETECTED.
DETECTED.
DETECTED. >> Reporter: EIGHT WFAA REVIEW
FOUND HOSPITAL SELDOM REPORT
HOSPITALS TO HAVE BEEN
SANCTIONED OR LOST THEIR
CLINICAL PRIVILEGES.
CLINICAL PRIVILEGES. 124 OF TEXAS IS 662 HOSPITALS
HAVE NOT REPORTED A SINGLE
DOCTOR SINCE THE DATABANK OPENED
THREE DECADES AGO.
NATIONALLY IT DOES NOT GET MUCH
BETTER.
BETTER.
BETTER. HALF OF +@THE 6500 U.S. HOSPITA
HAVE NEVER REPORTED.
HOW MANY HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN
DISCIPLINED FOR NOT REPORTING?
A DATABANK SPOKESP+@ERSON SAID,
THERE HAVE BEEN NO FORMAL
INVESTIGATIONS, HEARINGS OR
SANCTIONS FOR NOT REPORTING
SINCE THE DATABANK OPENED IN
1990.
1990.
1990. LET
1990. LET THAT SINK IN.
AND 30 YEARS NOT ONE HOSPITAL
HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED, LET
ALONE SANCTIONED FOR NOT
REPORTING A DOCTOR.
NOT EV+@EN THE HOSPITALS THAT
OPTED NOT TO REPORT HIM.
DR. WOLF IS A WELL-KNOWN
CONSUMER ADVOCATE.
CONSUMER ADVOCATE. >> WHAT IT SAYS IS DOCTORS WHO
ARE OPERATING ARE TAKING CARE
OF PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS ARE
GETTING AWAY WITH NOT BEING
REPORTED OR NOT BEING
DISCIPLINED.
DISCIPLINED. >> Reporter: HE SAID ONE WAY
HOSPITALS HAVE SKIRTED
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS IS BY
SANCTIONING DOCTORS FOR LESS
THAN A MONTH.
>> HOSPITALS CAN DISCIPLINE
SOMEONE FOR FIVE DAYS OR 10
DAYS OR 20. OR 25 DAYS.
NONE OF THOSE OR REPORTABLE.
>> Reporter: LET'S TAKE A MORE
SURGICAL+@ LOOK AT THE TEXAS
NUMBERS.
NUMBERS.
NUMBERS. EVEN AMONG THOSE HOSPITALS THAT
HAVE REPORTED, MOST OF THEM
RETURNED IN A SINGLE DOCTOR
SINCE 1990.
SINCE 1990. ACCORDING TO THE DATABANK'S
RECORDS. WHO ARE THEY?
YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO
KNOW THAT.
KNOW THAT. YOU CANNOT KNOW WHICH HOSPITALS
HAVE REPORTED OR +@HOW OFTEN.
AND THE NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUAL
DOCTORS, THOSE ARE OFF-LIMITS.
>> THE SYSTEM FAILED US.
THE HOSPITALS, EVERYONE THAT
+@
+@ KNEW
+@ KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING, THEY
FAILED US.
FAILED US. >> Reporter: ONE OF HIS
SURGERIES LEFT HER HAS BEEN A
PRISONER OF HIS OWN BODY.
>> THE PAIN DOES NOT GO AWAY.
>> Reporter: THE TRIAL REVEALED
HOW HIS BL+@OODIED TRAIL THROUG
NORTH TEXAS BEGAN AT BAYLOR
REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER IN
2011.
2011.
2011. ONE
2011. ONE SURGERY LEFT HIS OWN BEST
FRIEND A QUADRIPLEGIC.
A MONTH LATER KELLY MARTIN BLED
+@
A MONTH LATER KELLY MARTIN BLED TO D+@EATH AND ANOTHER BOTCHED
SURGERY.
SURGERY.
SURGERY. THE HOSPITAL LET DR. DUNTSCH
RESIGN AND DID NOT REVOKE
RESTRICTED SURGICAL PRIVILEGES.
AS A RESULT, THEY WERE NOT
REQUIRED TO REPORT HIM TO THE
DATABANK.
DATABANK.
DATABANK. BAYLOR EVEN GAVE HIM THIS
LETTER THAT HELPED HIM MOVE ON.
>> THE LOOPHOLE IS USED TOO
OFTEN T+@O ALLOW DOCTORS TO ESCE
THE CONSEQUENCES OF PEER-
REVIEWED.
REVIEWED.
REVIEWED. >> Reporter: OFFICIALS SAID THE
HOSPITAL ACTED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE DATABANK'S GUIDELINES.
AND THEY HAVE STREETS AND THEIR
PROCESSES FOR SCREENING AND
EVALUATION OF DOCTORS. AFTER
BAYLOR, HE MOVED ON. AFTER A
FEW DAYS AT DALLAS MEDICAL
CENTER, HE CUT THROUGH HER
SPINE.
SPINE.
SPINE. +@
SPINE. AS
SPINE. AS SHE LAY DYING, HE BOTCHED
ANOTHER SURGERY.
ANOTHER SURGERY. THE HOSPITAL WITHDREW TEMPORARY
PRIVILEGES. +@
PRIVILEGES. +@ >> WE DID NOT WANT TO TAKE A
+@ CHANCE OF HARMING ANY PATIENTS.
>> Reporter: BUT THEY LET HIM
+@
+@ RESIGN.
RESIGN.
RESIGN. DALLAS MEDICAL CENTER DID NOT
REPORT HIM TO THE DATABANK.
ALL OF THE GUIDELINES INDICATE
THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE SO.
DALLAS MEDICAL CENTER OFFI+@CIA
SAY THEY ARE UNDER NEW
OWNERSHIP WITH A NEW
ADMINISTRATION AND ADHERE TO
REPORTING GUIDELINES IN
INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
INDUSTRY STANDARDS. WHEN DID YOU KNO+@W SOMETHING W
WRONG?
WRONG?
WRONG? >>
WRONG? >> IMMEDIATELY WHEN I WOKE UP.
I COULD NOT MOVE FROM THE NECK
DOWN.
DOWN.
DOWN. >>
DOWN. >> I FEEL LIKE BECAUSE OF
MONEY.
MONEY.
MONEY. >>
MONEY. >> Reporter: AFTER THAT SURGERY,
HE OPERATED FOR TWO MORE
MONTHS.
MONTHS.
MONTHS. THE LAST TIME AT UNIVERSITY
GENERAL HOSPITAL.
GENERAL HOSPITAL. THEY ARE YOU NEARLY KILLED
ANOTHER MAN DURING WHAT SHOULD
HAVE BEEN A ROUTINE SURGERY.
>> IT LOOKED LIKE CHRISTOPHER
DUNTSCH TRIED TO DECAPITATE
HIM.
HIM.
HIM. >>
HIM. >> Reporter: THE TEXAS MEDICAL
BOARD SUSPENDED THE LICENSE OF
DUNTSCH IN JUNE 2013.
ONLY THEN DID UNIVERSITY
GENERAL REPORT HIM TO THE
DATABANK. UNIVERSITY GENERAL
HAS SINCE CLOSED.
>> WE FAILED. WE FAILED AS A
PROFESSION TO AC+@KNOWLEDGE,
RECOGNIZE AND TRY TO STOP
SOMEBODY WHO IS HARMING THE
PUBLIC.
PUBLIC.
PUBLIC. >> Reporter: REMEMBER,
INFORMATION REPORTED TO THE
DATABANK ABOUT SPECIFIC DOCTORS
IS A SECRET.
DUNTSCH WOULD NOT SPEAK TO
WFAA.
WFAA.
WFAA. DURING THE TRIAL HIS DEFENSE
BLAMED HIS TRAINING IN THE
HOSPITALS THAT CONTINUED TO LET
HIM OPERATE.
HIM OPERATE. IT IS ONLY BECAUSE DUNTSCH WAS
IT IS ONLY BECAUSE DUNTSCH WAS@ PROSECUTED THAT WE KNOW WHICH
HOSPITALS DID AND DID NOT
REPORT HIM.
REPORT HIM. >> THE FACTORS THAT CAUSED
DUNTSCH TO GET UNLEASHED ON THE
PATIENCE OF DALLAS COULD HAVE
HAPPENED AGAIN.
HAPPENED AGAIN. >> Reporte+@r: THREE YEARS AFTE
DUNTSCH GOT LIFE, MANY E+@XPER
SAY THE FAILED SYSTEM THAT