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Surgeon pulls in revenue at a price

Number 20332
Subject Medical Reporting
Source Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.)
State California
Year 2003
Publication Date May 18, 2003
Summary The Orange County Register documented a ten-year history of problems with Dr. Israel Chambi, chief of neurosurgery at the largest head trauma center in Orange County. It found that Chambi "has repeatedly been accused of performing unnecessary surgeries, making grave errors in the operating room, and lying to patients. Chambi has been sued 10 times as often as any other Orange County neurosurgeon; 10 patients won settlements or verdicts that total more than $3 million." The paper also found that Western Medical Center "had a powerful economic motivation not to ask too many questions: Chambi's division generates $38 million a year in billings for the hospital."
Category General
Pages 38
Keywords Dr. Israel Chambi;neurosurgery;Orange County;unnecessary surgery;physician errors;malpractice;hospitals;Western Medical Center;Tenet Healthcare Corp.;lawsuits;healthcare;doctors
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