Guam News - Guam News

Guam - Dr. George Macris today [Wednesday] told PNC News that his settlement agreement has been finalized.

Dr. Macris was responding to a PNC News report Tuesday about the subpoena issued by Health Committee Chair Senator Dennis Rodriguez. Senator Rodriguez  is subpoenaing all documents related to the settlement ahead of his GMH oversight hearing Monday.

Rodriguez says that his subpoena is not about Dr. Macris, but about preserving the principal of  peer review at the hospital which the Senator fears is threatened by the settlement agreement which would void the findings of that peer review process.

Dr. Macris practices medicine in Hawaii now and responded to our questions via email:

Dr. Macris:

"The settlement has been finalized and was the result of a thorough and unbiased review  conducted by all parties.   The administration ( at GMHA) was more inclined to do the right thing.  More importantly, there were no cases of morbidity, mortality, or unexpected adverse patient outcomes in any patients treated by me and  the parties recognized the political nature of the accusations. (By law, I was required to file complaints against the former Lt. Governor and a former Senator for serious violations of the Physician's Practice Act, and paid the penalty)."

2.  If so, do you intended to return to Guam and seek reinstatement from the Guam Board of Medical Examiners?

Dr. Macris:

"I was the former vice-chair of the GBME,  Medical Director, President of the Guam Medical Society, and a member of the Federation of State Medical Board Bylaws Committee and very familiar with the law.

The Voided Complaint and GMHA Suspension are separate matters but  are "inextricably linked".

As GMHA and Peter John Camacho were the Complainants, and have withdrawn and Voided the action which led to the suspension  most  professional regulatory boards would have conducted a "de novo" review , would have voided the suspension or would have reinstated the affected practitioner's license.

My suspension was the result of a" politically motivated Kangaroo Court" notorious for arrogance and abuse of authority, and not considered credible (by other jurisdictions.

The current GBME, part old, part new, has been silent.

I have not given up on Guam but Guam may have given up on me. Only Time will tell. "

3. What is your reaction to Dr. Last's concerns about over turning a decision made by the Peer Review Committee?

Dr. Macris:

"Hospitals have governing bodies (Board of Trustees) for good reason. Doctors need to have oversight.

The alleged "Peer Review" was discredited by the Courts and affirmed by the AGO, not the BOT (who followed the law). I was never afforded the opportunity to defend myself. Under oath and subpoena,  GMHA could not provide  any documentation to support  any of the allegations of "substandard care".  In theory, a prudent Medical Executive Committee (MEC)  would have to draw similar conclusions as note the absence of "due process".

Physicians have to accept the fact they  do not run the hospital  and are not above the law and rules of evidence.  This BOT drew their conclusions independently, based on the facts and the evidence, not  on what the Governor directed them to do.

Dr. Last had to be terminated when I was Medical Director, is inclined to" shade the Truth",  and  may have an axe to grind.    He represents a small minority of  individuals who feel they run the hospital, have  different code of conduct,   and who very well may be the "root cause" of GMHA's (physician) problems."