Raymond Phillip Allard, D.O., who was an orthopedic surgeon at Sparrow Health System and Sparrow Carson Hospital until recently, is currently under investigation by Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) due to complaints made by a nurse anesthetist. Sparrow Carson Hospital is also under investigation by LARA and the HFAP.
Officials at Sparrow were aware that Dr. Allard was engaging in very unsafe surgical practices, such as intentionally leaving surgical sponges in a patient’s infected surgical wound and closing the wound with the sponges inside. Nurse Anesthetist Jonnie Vanderhoef informed senior officials at Sparrow Carson Hospital numerous times about Dr. Allard’s unsafe medical practices and total disregard for patient safety. In fact, Vanderhoef even met with the hospital’s CEO, Matthew Thompson, to discuss Dr. Allard’s dangerous surgical practices, but Sparrow officials did not stop Dr. Allard from performing surgery on patients.
Vanderhoef informed LARA officials in November, 2017, that Sparrow “knowingly and willfully” concealed Allard’s “dangerous surgical activity.”
“Dr. Allard continues a history of excessively high surgical complications, including severe infections,” Vanderhoef wrote in his complaint. “His behavior and deviation from accepted medical practice has become more bizarre in recent weeks.”
Indeed, Sparrow Carson Hospital officials knew of Dr. Allard’s bizarre behavior and disregard for patient safety for at least 9 months before any action was taken. This means that Dr. Allard continued to perform surgery on numerous patients during those months. Sadly, no less than 18 infections related to Dr. Allard’s surgeries and procedures were reported during this time period.
Dr. Allard did not stop working at Sparrow Health System and Sparrow Carson Hospital until his dangerous practices were reported to LARA. And it is not even clear that Sparrow took action at this time. According to Sparrow officials, Dr. Allard “voluntarily suspended his medical privileges at Sparrow Carson Hospital.”
Dr. Allard has been an orthopedic surgeon for almost thirty years, performing procedures such as total knee arthroplasty (TKA). He has been employed by Sparrow Health System and Sparrow Carson Hospital for 9 years. Dr. Allard has also practiced at Sheridan Community Hospital, Spectrum Health Kelsey Hospital, Spectrum Health United Memorial – United Campus, Carson Hospital, and Montcalm Center for Orthopedic Excellence, P.C.
Dr. Allard had been investigated numerous times by LARA. In his complaints, Vanderhoef wrote that other staff members had expressed concerns about Dr. Allard, but they failed to take action due to fear. LARA began investigating Sparrow Carson Hospital and Dr. Allard on November 2, 2017. On November 3, 2017, Vanderhoef was fired.
Preventable medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the U.S., and many hospitals and medical facilities appear to be doing the opposite of what they should be doing to halt this medical error epidemic. Sparrow terminated Vanderhoef for simply trying to make the hospital safer for patients.
The medical malpractice attorneys at Church Wyble, P.C. have spent decades uncovering medical mistakes and fighting for justice for victims of medical mistakes. The attorneys have made it their mission to stop hospital cover ups. If you have suffered an injury due to medical malpractice, please contact the medical malpractice attorneys at Church Wyble, P.C. for a free consultation.
