Disciplinary committee to review surgeon's case
by Mindy Aguon
Guam - The Guam Board of Medical Examiners will present allegations against hospital surgeon Dr. Glenn Cunningham to its Disciplinary Committee. According to board chair Dr. Joan Gill, the board was never made aware of the allegations against Cunningham, which resulted in a $300,000 settlement with Jeff and Charl'e Fain.
Hospital officials have said that a medical review was conducted and there was a determination of no negligence but the matter was settled at the recommendation of the Guam Memorial Hospital's legal counsel.
The couple's son Logan had suffered a broken leg during a summer trip to Guam in 2008. Dr. Cunningham performed surgery and allegedly pinned Logan's two bones together, catching the femoral artery. As a result, the boy had his leg amputated.
Dr. Gill says now that the board is aware of the case, because of media reports last week, the matter will be presented to the board's committee to conduct an investigation.
Dr. Cunningham, meanwhile who was elected by the GMH staff to be the head of the Surgery Department, continues to work at the hospital. The settlement evidently was the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of the governor replacing the hospital's leadership.