How
did these physicians, who practiced very much in the open atmosphere of sports
medicine team doctors, avoid discovery?
There
are at least three cultural factors that enabled Nassar and Strauss to continue
their terror for about two decades each.
Sports – winning is the
only thing!
Whether
pre-teen gymnasts or young adult college athletes, the pressure to win, perform
and conform were and are intense.
We
see now that sports and academic administrators will deny reality in order to
protect the program, to protect the brand.
Patients - do not question your physician!
Physicians
are highly educated miracle workers who simply should never be questioned about
their examinations, diagnosis, prognosis or treatments.
Phooey.
Physicians must do everything they do within “informed consent” parameters, and
patients (and surrogates) have rights to be fully informed at a lay person
standard. Those who supervise physicians have a duty to enforce informed
consent practices and procedures.
Physicians Will Not Rat On
Physicians – the Lab Coat Line
Only
in extreme cases will physicians rat out other physicians for misconduct or
poor quality practice. Mediocrity is just ignored.
Medicine
is a statistical aberration, every physician is above average!
But
physicians know better, nurses really know better, and executives and
administrators know better but will rarely admit as much.
