Official and suspended doctor clash at hearing

Another high-ranking Windsor Regional Hospital official has promised to quit her job if Dr. Albert Kadri’s privileges are reinstated.

Following those comments by Dr. Dana Walters at a provincial hearing on Tuesday, Kadri took the reins in a tense cross-examination of his former boss that often bordered on hostile.

“It pains me to say this, I would resign my position as medical director,” Walters, director of the renal program, initially told hospital lawyer Paula Trattner. “I would leave the hospital.”

The hospital revoked Kadri’s privileges on June 1, 2018. One of the reasons cited was his refusal to refer patients in need of pre-dialysis care to the Multi-care Kidney Clinic.

Kadri took the case to the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board. The hospital is maintaining Kadri’s suspension of privileges pending the appeal.

Hearing adjudicators previously heard that the hospital board determined Kadri’s conduct in general was “contrary” to the organization’s bylaws and that he refused to follow the “model of care” for the hospital’s renal program.

CEO David Musyj testified at the hearing in December that he would resign if Kadri is allowed to resume working at the hospital.

Walters echoed that sentiment Tuesday. Trattner ended her questions of Walters by asking the doctor what she would do if Kadri’s privileges are reinstated.

Walters did not hesitate. She said she would resign, adding Kadri “has proven he is someone who can’t be trusted.”

Though the two never met before Kadri’s privileges were revoked, Walters was briefly his boss after she started working at the hospital in September 2017.

“Dr. Kadri has pretty much alienated everyone in our department and beyond,” said Walters.

“He has shown he puts his personal and financial interests ahead of patients.”

Kadri immediately dived into his cross-examination.

“I was really surprised by what you just said,” Kadri told her. “I must be a horrible person.”

Walters responded by telling Kadri “you don’t support the program.”

He did not acknowledge the answer.

“I asked you if I’m a horrible person,” said Kadri. “You made me sound like a horrible person.”

She repeated her previous answer.

“My perspective is you don’t support the program.”

Much of Kadri’s cross-examination focused on a patient of his who died following what Walters described during questioning from Trattner as “heart issues.”

The patient appeared at the hospital renal clinic in June 2018 after Kadri was suspended. The patient had shortness of breath when lying down, swelling and high blood pressure.

Walters said the hospital had no documentation about lab work and other clinical issues from Kadri, so they could not appropriately assess the person.

She said the man’s issues did not appear urgent, and he was hesitant to immediately start dialysis after recently staying in the hospital. Sometime later, the patient suffered cardiac issues, which ultimately led to his death.

“If I had all the information I required on June 22 he would have been directly admitted to the hospital,” Walters told Trattner. Kadri took issue with that.

“You seem to be blaming me for not providing the lab work,” he said.

Walters shot back that “what I blame you for is not following the model of care.”

Kadri asked if he was to blame for Walters not seeing the lab work at the hospital.

“Yes,” she said.

Kadri said Walters could have called him but did not.

“Not in this case,” she said.