Ethics panel finds doctor breached code over clinic claims

The Ethics Committee of the Icelandic Medical Association has concluded that doctor Hjörtur Georg Gíslason breached Article 16 of the medical code of ethics through public comments about Klínikin, a clinic, and doctors working there, mbl.is reports.

The provision requires doctors to act with propriety and respect in their dealings with one another.

According to a statement from Klínikin, the committee said Gíslason’s comments went beyond professional, objective and moderate criticism, disparaged the work and professional competence of other doctors, and implied that his own operations were superior. The committee also found that the comments were repeated and were not supported by verifiable evidence.

The ruling was issued on August 17. The case arose from a public debate about metabolic operations for Icelandic patients abroad.

On March 11, Klínikin chief executive Kristján Jón Jónatansson and doctor Aðalsteinn Arnarson, who works at the clinic, publicly discussed the cost of sending Icelandic patients to Sweden for metabolic operations and the possibility of performing such procedures in Iceland. Four days later, Gíslason published an article titled “Facts about metabolic operations in Iceland” on Vísir. On March 17, he appeared in an interview on the radio programme Bítid on Bylgjan. His comments later formed the basis of Klínikin’s complaint to the ethics committee.

The committee stressed that doctors are allowed, and may even be obliged, to participate in public professional discussions about healthcare, particularly when they concern patient safety and the quality of healthcare. Such discussion must, however, be based on reliable evidence, and doctors must show moderation and respect for their colleagues.

Doctor offers similar services abroad

The committee examined, among other things, Gíslason’s claim that no private institution in Iceland had the professional ability or expertise to treat the patients in question. It described the claim as “an unequivocal, negative and sweeping assertion without any evidence” and found that it disparaged the work of other doctors.

The committee also noted that Gíslason himself offers similar services abroad and is therefore in direct competition with private providers in Iceland. He is a co-owner of a private hospital in Sweden where metabolic operations have been performed on Icelandic patients, with payments covered in part by Icelandic Health Insurance.

Clear conclusion

Klínikin said the committee’s conclusion was clear: Gíslason had made repeated claims without showing that they were supported by verifiable evidence. He had breached Article 16 by making unsubstantiated and unequivocal statements about the operations and professional competence of other doctors, disparaging their work and failing to show the respect and propriety required by the provision.

The clinic said it had performed metabolic operations in Iceland for a decade and built up specialised knowledge, experience and multidisciplinary services in the field. From the outset, it said, the focus had been on safe, high-quality care, professional cooperation and regular follow-up for patients.

“We turned to the ethics committee because the comments concerned the professionalism of our staff, patient safety and the quality of the service built up here,” the clinic said. “These allegations have weighed heavily on our staff, and we considered it important to obtain an independent professional assessment of the case.”