webmuskie:

I’ve just gotten back from my first visit with an oncologist, Dr. Cheung Wong (who is, regrettably, the head of gynecological oncology at Fletcher Allen, a position for which he is unqualified by reason of having his head up his ass). I have first stage endometrial cancer. I know standard…

I just sent this in via the Fletcher Allen comment page:

I am sharing my concern over the treatment of a patient of Dr. Cheung Wong’s named Laura Tisoncik. I had my hysterectomy performed by Dr. Wong back in 2012, and so was shocked when I heard what she reported as how she was handled by him when she was seeking surgery for endometrial cancer. While I know that surgery on obese patients (and especially ones with mobility issues) is never ideal, and often there are serious complications, when a patient is facing a choice between higher risk of earlier death with a lower rate of cure (she’s suffered radiation exposure and has high risk of cancers, so radiation treatment is not a reasonable option) or a potentially complicated procedure with a longer recovery time, but a high rate of cure, the choice seems fairly reasonable.

Right now Ms. Tisoncik feels that because she’s in a wheelchair and is obese, she’s being denied the standard of care that would be offered to a thinner able patient for inadequate reasons (she was told she’d have a scar if they did an open procedure if the laparoscopic equipment wasn’t long enough, which could be true but isn’t the point). I hope that there has been some miscommunication, and that this can be cleared up so she can have the life-saving procedure that is best suited to her health situation.

I am very dismayed to hear how Ms. Tisoncik has been treated, and disappointed in Dr. Wong for giving the appearance of (if he doesn’t actually believe) refusing the best practice of care to a disabled obese woman.

Adding this exchange from their response to my posting above. "Aware,“ but maybe unconcerned, unimpressed, who knows. *sigh* I suppose that’s really the best I could hope for as a response since they can’t really talk to me about specific cases ‘cos privacy and stuff.:

Dr. Wong is most certainly aware of the tumblr and blog postings. -----Original Message----- On 9/26/2014 12:33 PM, FAHC response person. wrote:

Dear Ms. Perricone, Thank you for contacting Fletcher Allen Health Care. Please understand that regulations contained in the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) prohibit health care providers, health care institutions and related business associates from releasing or discussing protected health care information publically. Fletcher Allen cannot respond to any comment about specific patients. Generally speaking, clinical decisions are made collaboratively with the patient and/or the patient's appropriate family member. I am glad that you had a positive experience with Dr. Wong and hope that you will consider your personal knowledge of his professional manner. Thank you for your understanding.

I know you can't respond about specific patients, I just hope someone bothers to mention this to Dr. Wong because right now, he's really not looking very good to the disabled/obese community.