“Given the significant commitment of time involved in completing these questionnaires, and my busy clinical practice, I would ask for your assistance in completing these forms, as is usually the case when I report cases to the [Canadian Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance System],” Marrero wrote.
Instead, he claims he received a letter from a Vitalité Health Network lawyer about two weeks later “threatening discipline,” and accusing him of not respecting the requirements of the Public Health Act, according to the 183 pages of documents.
It does sound like he has been dragging his feet on paperwork for a couple of years, despite several reminders. When his only response after years of reminders was “I need you to help me do it” and he had only completed the paperwork for 2 patients out of about 150, someone lost patience. Perhaps he’s too busy, but he seems to have had years to work out a way to get the paperwork done.
On March 29, 2023, Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province’s chief medical officer of health, reminded Marrero of the requirements, as communicated to all provincial physicians in a memo from acting deputy chief Dr. Yves Léger on Oct. 26, 2021, and to Marrero personally in a letter from then-health minister Dorothy Shephard on April 8, 2022.
“Staff have indicated that you have followed the provincial requirements of reporting such cases in only two instances since late 2021,” she wrote.
“It is with consternation that I read your letters dated January 30 and March 23, 2023,” in which Marrero indicated he had been following the cases of 147 patients, aged 17 to 80, some with “very advance evidence of neurodegenerative diseases,” including dementia, severe pain syndrome, brain and muscle atrophy, and some near death.
A story about him on Canadaland also mentioned that the paperwork was originally about 40 pages per patient, including a detailed personal history. It has been reduced, but I don’t know by how much.
Edit: Having looked at the Canadaland article it seems the New Brunswick government may have deliberately made the paperwork overwhelming so they could penalize this doctor.
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It does sound like he has been dragging his feet on paperwork for a couple of years, despite several reminders. When his only response after years of reminders was “I need you to help me do it” and he had only completed the paperwork for 2 patients out of about 150, someone lost patience. Perhaps he’s too busy, but he seems to have had years to work out a way to get the paperwork done.
A story about him on Canadaland also mentioned that the paperwork was originally about 40 pages per patient, including a detailed personal history. It has been reduced, but I don’t know by how much.
It does sound like a lot of work.
Edit: Having looked at the Canadaland article it seems the New Brunswick government may have deliberately made the paperwork overwhelming so they could penalize this doctor.
A paranoid New Brunswicker would think that the Higgs government is trying to bury the story.
The article clearly states this …
“By the end of May, Marrero’s office had completed forms for eight patients, each between 46 and 188 pages…”
And remember, doctors often are NOT paid to fill out provincially-mandated forms.