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Oncologists arrest, scary stuff

User
10 years ago

I don't know if anyone here has heard about this story but on 8/5/13, Dr. Farid Fata a well known Hematologist & Oncologist was arrested in Oakland County, MI for fraud with Medicare, misdiagnosing cancer patients and over treating patients with cancer.

This man was my husband's oncologist and it is so surreal to see him in the news, read the charges laid out against him and having to go to the FBI to get my husbands medical records.

It was his own staff who turned him in and after reading the formal charges and depositions, I was haunted by how much of it rang true with us. As a couple, we've never been the victims of a robbery or a violent crime, but right now we feel very violated. The new Oncologist we went to on Friday said he didn't want to bash Dr. Fata, but it was obvious that my husband was over treated and abused by the treatments prescribed by this doctor.

Fata told us my husband would need chemo treatments for life which apparently is not the case. My husband was treated with chemo and blood treatments unnecessarily for over 8 months. The new doctor confirmed he's in full remission, otherwise very healthy (thank GOD) AND no more chemo is necessary. We were also scheduled for a PET scan to be done at the doctors new radiology clinic which isn't even needed for people with his type of cancer but would have cost us 700.00 in co-pays alone.

Personally, I feel very grateful that he was caught and my husband is going to be okay. There are hundreds of people who unfortunately can't say that. However, at the same time I'm furious and highly emotional. Because of this f*****g doctor, I've spent the past year worried sick about my husband and watched someone I adore suffer through the treatments. I've been working two jobs to pay for his treatments and worried constantly about how we would continue to pay them in the future. We basically lost a year of life together because we were both so exhausted and disconnected from anything normal. My husband literally fought to go to work every day and constantly worried he'd eventually loose his job because of all the time needed for the treatments and doctors visits. It took 3 months for him to reach remission, and the rest of it was ALL completely unnecessary. Now add the financial theft from our insurance, the Lymphoma & Leukemia foundation and us all so he could live in a mansion and have millions of dollars in the bank. It's just sickening.

I don't know why I'm posting this, I guess I just want to share, vent or make people aware. He came to us highly recommended by the practitioner we were seeing at the time but I've since learned he's had 3 malpractice suits w/in the past 3 years, was not able to get credentials by a large well known hospital and was having problems at a second hospital as well. He tried to keep all cancer related treatments with in his own practice not to help the patients, but to avoid hospital oversight and bill independently.

I hate to believe someone is guilty before they've had their day in court but the information against this man is so overwhelming...it's hard to keep an open mind. If it is true, he's most likely killed lots of people with over treatment (which can't really be proven), he's used people's bodies for financial gain and is just pure evil.

There are lots of articles about it available on the internet, but the one below is what is posted on the site for the FBI.

Here is a link that might be useful: FBI notice of charges and arrest

Comments (57)

  • neetsiepie
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Luk, I am fuming along with you! I heard about this on the news and it just made me sick when I heard it. What really fries me is that when people are at their most vulnerable, they don't have the wherewithall to check out the red flags-especially if he came recommended from someone you trusted. Of course, in hindsight you see the red flags, but I hope you guys don't beat yourselves up.

    I am so thankful your DH does NOT need more treatment and is in remission. I believe in Karma, and I believe that you will be made whole and then some in time. Peace to you and your family.

  • gsciencechick
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you for sharing. So incredibly scary because of the serious side effects of unnecessary treatments plus the insurance fraud. I am glad to hear your DH appears to be doing much better than how the doctor was treating him.

  • ILoveRed
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Not only that, chemo has its own risk to the immune system as I'm sure you know. So the unnecessary chemo really risked his life.

    Unreal. Hope he gets more than just losing his license and a fine.

  • nancybee_2010
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This is just awful! I'm so sorry, lukki.

  • User
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sorry you had a crappy doctor but very happy to hear the great news your hubby in full remission.

  • trailrunner
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a terrible situation for you all. I am sorry you had to go through this. I hope your DH has no lasting effects and glad he is doing well now. c

  • mitchdesj
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Your sharing your story makes us aware how terribly affected the victims of those horrible people are, we read the news and sympathize, but to hear your story show us the horror of it all : I'm glad your DH is in remission and I wish you all the strength to come to grips with this, you were victims of this monster.

  • maddielee
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just awful. I am so sorry.

    ML

  • tinam61
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lukki! I was thinking of you this weekend and feeling bad I haven't emailed you lately. Now to read this! I am so sorry that you all are going through this. I am VERY thankful to hear that your hubby is in remission and will need no further chemo! YAY!!!
    It IS a violation. This man violated your trust, at the very least.

    For an illness of this nature, I, personally would recommend that anyone get a second opinion. Also, check out any doctor you are planning on seeing. The malpractice info may or may not have come up on an internet search - many times it does. I know when my mom was diagnosed with cancer, we really dug around and found her doctor. Not so much on her oncologist, we were very lucky to have a dear friend closely affiliated with that doctor, but the surgeon was a biggie. In fact, we went against the advice of the doctor who diagnosed her in not choosing the doctor he recommended. Although her story did not have a happy ending, we were extremely blessed with the doctors we dealt with. It's such a hard thing, and so unfair that people already dealing with an illness, must also deal with something like this!

    tina

  • graywings123
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OMG, I would be crazed if this happened to my loved one. I am so sorry for your husband and for what you went through emotionally.

    Not suggesting that you do anything (except get a good lawyer), but I am amazed there are not more cases of vigilante justice when things like this happen.

  • deegw
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So, so sorry this happened to you. I'd love to send the judge a suggestion for a suitable sentence - endless rounds of chemo.

    Will you be able to sue for malpractice?

  • hhireno
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lukki,
    I was just thinking about you and your husband (because we had my husband's 4 year check-up) and wondering how you both were.

    I am so pleased to read he is in remission. Good for both of you.

    I was at the gym last week and heard some of the report on this doctor on a morning show. For the first time ever, we all stopped in our tracks and stood there, mouths agape, shaking our heads in disgust, speechless about the story. It's almost impossible to comprehend how someone could do this. To take advantage of vulnerable people is unforgivable.

    How did his staff not catch on or report him earlier?

    It is normal to be angry and feel victimized. But the anger isn't going to help you. It will just eat you up and create it's own health issues. You need to find a way to feel it but move on and not dwell on it. Easy for me to say, since it wasn't my experience, and easier said than done but it must be done.

    Maybe you need to think of it that the treatment given beyond the remission point was necessary to continue the remission.

    I wish you and your husband continued good health.

  • riosamba
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lukki, I am so sorry for your husband's suffering and for the stolen year.

    Fata tortured patients who trusted him. Unfathomable.

  • dedtired
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am so very sorry to hear that you were victimized by this dreadful person and that you and your DH suffered unnecessarily.

    More and more doctors are opening their own private chemo clinics so they are making the money rather than the hospital.If you have good hospitals near by, go to those clinics instead.

  • golddust
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This is the sickest story. I'm so sorry. Thank goodness he really doesn't need chemo for life. This could have been much worse than it is.

    Getting second opinions is a very good idea and your horrific story is a giant reminder.

  • golddust
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It's a good idea to google any Dr. before getting treated by them. The clues were there.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Patient ratings for Dr Fata

  • texanjana
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OMG, so shocking and sickening. I am thankful your DH is doing well and that this man has been caught. I won't call him a doctor because he clearly betrayed all that a doctor is supposed to be.

    I cannot imagine the emotions you and your family have gone through and are going through now. Praying peace and comfort for you all.

  • quilly
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lukki - I am so sorry that you and your husband had to endure this. I cannot imagine how you have suffered through this ordeal. I hope that his punishment is swift and severe.

  • User
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you everyone for your support and wonderfully kind words. I agree on the second opinion. He was diagnosed by another team before seeing Dr. Fata and he was highly recommended by several people. Both my sister and I did extensive research on him and did not see the malpractice suits listed anywhere. I did see his ratings, but his practice was so large and cancer is such a unique disease we just figured it was a few disgruntled people. In person, he is very quiet, gentle and soft spoken, talk to any one of his 1200 patients and they will tell you, the person does not match the charges at all. Many still have trouble believing it's true. Evil comes in all forms.

    Exactly Pesky, I was a really hard working advocate for my husband. Now I look back on things with the regrets of "if I had only done this or that" and today someone I work with (and has been through cancer with two family members) told me that it's easy to have regrets after the fact, but when you are going through the process of fighting cancer, you are so scared that you don't question when you hear the words remission. The idea of changing anything is foreign because it's working. And she's right, even when things didn't seem to add up 100% with me, the idea of talking to someone else didn't seem relevant because he was in remission.

    The investigation itself took 3 years which is horrible when you think about all the people who died under his watch. The reason given was that everything was done internally within his clinics and it was hard to get enough information to secure a warrant and hopefully a conviction. I do believe that the investigation regarding the fraud started long ago, but it was just recently that the staff turned on him and then it went very quickly once they realized he was actually hurting the patients and not just making up billings.

    One doctor I work with told me that Medicare fraud typically involves over billing for care or procedures that were never done, but to actually do the treatments unnecessarily and bill for them as legitimate services is completely unheard of. Due to the nature of the disease and it's treatments, it may be hard to prove he actually killed anyone.

    Graywings, I haven't really given too much thought to the idea of seeking an attorney. Once we get the opinions and finally choose another doctor for him, that's next on the list, though I wonder if it would do much good. Maybe some feedback from the group would be helpful.

    Tina, don't feel bad, the notes work two ways and I haven't had time to write either...heck I haven't had time to visit the forum lately as well. This past year has been nothing but cancer for us which is so dark, feels great to finally see light again. :c)

    I know we are coming out of this in a much better place than lots of other people, I hurt for all of them. I really don't feel bitter, just disgusted and sick at the thought more than anything. I do believe in Karma...he even stole from non-profits because many of the Cancer organizations help patients with costs. I think about how hard they work to get their donations, how much good they really do and how much of the money he stole from them. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Association was there to help us as well as many many of the patients there. It's just so sad.

    Hhireno, thanks for thinking of me, 4 years, wow. I am so happy for you and will pray for the continued health of your husband.

    There are lots of stories coming out about the staff but all I know for sure is what is in the Criminal Complaint which I've provided a copy of below. It's very interesting to read.

    Thank you again everyone, I really do appreciate the support and kind words. It is really an overwhelming, surreal experience.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Criminal Complaint & Witness statements.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It is hard to think of a more heinous crime. We all share your rage and hope he bears the full brunt of his actions, though it is hard to imagine what just punishment could be.

    I am so sorry that this happened, and so relieved that your husband is doing well despite this nonsense. I hope there may be some sort of fund established or some deep pocket you could sue, to at least compensate you financially in some way.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This is so shocking! When I worry about malpractice, I worry about the innocent mistakes...the paperwork mix ups or the slips and miscounts or the docs who mean well but are on drugs of various sorts or too old to practice but do it anyway, or stupidity. But so many acts of willful disregard of the patients' health is unfathomable, let alone all the money lost by so many. This guy should be charged with manslaughter.

    And it is shocking, but not surprising, that no one turned him in sooner. Amazing that the staff eventually turned...that's how egregious his behavior was, because so many in this profession turn a blind eye to incompetence or fraud.

    I'm so sorry that you both were victimized by this evil person. I'm so glad that the truth won out!

  • Boopadaboo
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I believe in Karma as well, although I am sure it is not much solace. :( I have this written on a white board at work: Keep calm and let Karma take care of the rest. I even have wall words at work!

    I have been speechless since reading this when you first posted it. I am so sorry you and your DH had to be subjected to this monster. I hope you can find peace in knowing you did everything you thought best and can move on and rejoice in your DH's remission and move forward with a new plan.

  • 3katz4me
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So awful! Greed is a very dangerous thing - especially in healthcare. We had an oncology group in our area that was not treating people based on current medical evidence and best practice and was otherwise unethical. Finally shut down.

    It's more evidence that you have to educate yourself and be your own advocate where healthcare is concerned. You simply cannot have blind faith in your doctor - unfortunately.

    If I am ever referred for xrays or scans at a facility outside of a hospital or full service clinic, I am always suspect and I would ask who owns the facility. This is not the first time I've heard of unnecessary xrays/scans at facilities owned by the physicians who referred patients there.

  • User
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm so sorry, Lukki. Going through my own cancer I still can't even imagine what you and your family are going through. ((hugs))

  • theroselvr
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lukki; I saw the original article because I've been volunteering a lot of my time to help a lady find her daughter missing in MI. It was linked on something I was reading; of course I had to click on it.

    I'm in tears reading this; ready to throw up. I'll have to come back to finish reading after I calm down.

    He better hope karma doesn't get him for what he did to people. Totally disgusting.

    I am so sorry.
    ~Hugs

  • iheartgiantschnauzer
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I read about this monster in the paper last week or the week before? Totally disgusting. In my own fight with cancer that has lead me to 3 different states for treatment and 6 states for consultations, this sickens me to no end. The blatant disregard for his patients is nearly unimaginable. I know oncologists are not saints; but when they are saving your life, it is amazing how much faith and trust we place in them. I like to think they all wear the white hats. Unortunately this is a very real reminder that greed permeates every profession. I think it's more despicable because we are at our most vulnerable when in the oncologist office looking for answers. Too many of us put blind faith that the qualified doctor has our best interest in mind when he prescribes chemo. No one would ever think about kickbacks or question the doctors motives at a time like that. Sure they may question benefit vs quality of life, but kickbacks??? No way. Just appalling and sad...

    I ache for what you and your family needlessly dealt with over the difficult lastyear but i am so glad that your husband seems to be in good health now. He's so very lucky to have no lasting effects of excessive unnecessary chemo.

  • User
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The support here is amazing. Thank you again, it really does help.
    I've started the process of looking for an attorney, what a mess. Even though we should obviously all have a case against the doctor, its not that cut and dry. Many of the complaints will be hard to prove and after paying back all the claim overages for the thousands of patients involved as well as legal costs, there will probably not be much left for those actually harmed by this man. Typical. We are so fortunate compared to many, some of the patients are in really poor shape, some have so much iron in them, they are in need of spleen transplants, others are sick with other illnesses due to the lack of immune systems. There are so many ways he's hurt a huge population of people, everything from diagnosis and treatment, to unnecessary pain and anguish for the patients and their loved ones, deaths, insurance fraud which causes rates to increase, using medicines that are short in supply on healthy people when there were sick people who really needed it and it wasn't available, he even stole from the nonprofits who help patients with costs, so funds needed for patients in need could be without and the list keeps growing, its unbelievable. I hope it stays in the news as much as possible to make people more aware.

    Iheart, I am so sorry you are battling this disease as well and hope things will be ok. I teared up reading your post, if I could give you a hug I would. ""hugs>>. Please keep us posted on how your recovery is progressing and if you need an understanding ear, please feel free to reach out, lukkiirish@gmail.com

    Roselvr, I haven't seen you in a while, hope all is well, last Friday when the Doctor said "he's healthy" it felt like this dark cloud opened up and we could see sunshine again. It is overwhelming. We will be meeting with the FBI next week to provide information for their case. I am sure that will be interesting.

    Thanks again, it feels good to be posting again. :c)

  • theroselvr
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lukki; so sorry it's taken me so long to come back. Your post hit me like a ton of bricks; every time I thought I was ready to come back; I was still too upset; couldn't see through the tears. I started typing an email to you that night; but didn't get far.

    What makes me sick; is the fact that the headlines are all about Medicare fraud. The fraud should be 2nd after what he did to patients. I do not think it's that "hard" in this day and age that they can take original testing (blood; scans); add to that the treatments used to start pressing charges against him for deaths as well as side effects that patients should not have.

    With my hubs cancer; they know that the treatment usually causes certain side effects such as thyroid issues. They now also know that at some point; he could have serious issues from chemo damage. I read an article that said it's possible they could drop dead almost 10 years later. That's when I had to step away from his cancer. His immune system started crashing in April; then again in May; which usually causes the cancer virus to activate again. At the same time; my son's great aunt has been having immune issues; diagnosed terminal lung cancer; given about 6 months; last 30 days. It's been hectic here to say the least.

    Have you gotten copies of your hubs medical records? If not; you want to start ordering them. Best suggestion I have is to make a copy of them and put them somewhere safe in case you lose the ones you carry. You should get another opinion at the University cancer center. At least touch base to get an opinion; which you then can pick someone local to work with. Hub has been seeing some local docs; but with this immune issue being too complicated for them; he has been starting to see more of the university doctors. New patient appointments can take anywhere from 6 weeks to months. He'll now have an immune; rheumatologist & dermatologist (derm took 4 months) at the university. I'll also have to revisit the article I read; I believe he will need a cardiac doctor too.

    It's a lot of work getting records & traveling but they have more experience with patients like my hub who also has the Lupus rash. God forbid your hub have side effects in another few years like my hub; you will already have established the connection; they will get you in quicker. When the immune issues started; ENT got us in the next day; had he started with any of the Drs I mentioned; he could have seen them all.

    Your hub may need different types of doctors such as orthopedic; neurologist; depending on what type of damage the chemo they gave him could cause.

    ~Hugs

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I hope there will be a class action suit against this guy...it would be helpful to get something out of him to help offset all those extra medical care costs and pain and suffering he went through....

  • User
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Roselvr,

    Thank you for the post, I'm really sorry to hear things have taken a turn and hope everything is going to be okay. I'll keep you and yours in my prayers and thoughts. People don't really talk much about the long term affects of the treatments but this case is really bringing that to light in our area.

    As far as the records go, the FBI gave us a cd with all of the Dr.'s records on it. Then since I have a second job working with the release of records, I knew to keep copies of whatever we could get our hands on; fortunately, we're in good shape there. The only records we're missing now are for some radiation treatments he had just gotten when Fata was arrested. We're trying to get those right now but unfortunately, we believe the doctor & facility he referred us to was also involved. That clinic has also closed and it's possible that the doctor may eventually be indicted as well. So far he's refused to provide any records so our attorney is getting involved with that.

    We have both Wayne State and the University of Michigan which are each about an hour away. We also have the Karmono's Cancer Institute and a lot of the doctors here are connected to all three of them locally. We've already been to one Hematologist / Oncologist who's confirmed he's in remission and good health in general; but he says no one will know what the future holds as far as the additional chemo he received. We have an appointment with a second Hematologist / Oncologist on the 9th. We're not sure who his new doctor will be as the first one wasn't a good fit for us and moving forward I want two cancer doctors involved at all times. Needless to say, we have some serious trust issues at this point. Here he's had cancer for over a year and we still don't know anything about what the "normal" standard of care should have been.

    I agree that the Medicare fraud should not be the first headline in this story but it was what got the FBI involved and the only way this guy got caught. There were previous reports by peers to the Medical Board but they weren't taken seriously or pursued. Personally, since they are the governing board and they did get several reports, I think they should be held partially responsible; or at the very least named in the law suits. The other thing that really burns me is that in our state, Malpractice Law suits are not disclosed. I realize it's not uncommon for a doctor to be sued these days; but when a doctor is sued 3-4 times w/in a couple of years, it does leave room for question and I feel having that knowledge would have helped us to make a more informed decision about who we wanted as his doctor.

    Seems EVERYONE is connected to or is familiar about someone treated by this doctor. From what I've been told, his current patient load was estimated at 1200 but there are folks who's loved one's died up to 4 years ago under his care. Most likely, there are 1,000's of end of life patients involved. The Federal trial is set for the 18th of October; but I'm not sure if that's for all the charges or just the fraud. We have an appointment to be interviewed by the FBI this week and can maybe find out more then.

    There is a class action suit being formed by many of the patients with an attorney we're not fond of. This guy will do anything to put the spot light on him and his firm; he's the jack of all trades with no specialty. blah! Many attorney's are declining cases saying that Malpractice insurance won't cover it all and after Medicaid and the insurance companies get their due little to nothing will be left for the attorney fees much less patients. How sad is that?

    We've hired an attorney who is also representing many patients but specializes in medical malpractice and class action suits. He says that his sources tell him there are some really large entities involved in the fraud as well as several doctors w/in the practice and that's where the collectability for the patients will be.

    I unwittingly did one thing that was smart. I got my husband to change his primary care doctor to a doctor I scan records for. He's an Internal doctor who puts a large focus on wellness and diet. He specializes in helping cancer patients improve their immune systems through diet and life style changes. My husband has lost 40 pounds due to a healthier diet (not the cancer) and is feeling a lot better as a result. I can email or post more information about it if you're interested.

    Once again I've written a long winded post, sorry bout that, but it helps to get it out. Thank you again for taking the time to post and offering your advise. It's always appreciated! Lukki

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lukki, sounds like you have everything well in hand...or at least as much as you can under circumstances like this. There are so many frightening things about this story...including the fact that peers reported him and it was ignored. So much for self-policing! And how big this fraud goes is also even more frightening...not to mention that this guy was caught, but how many others are out there manipulating the system who haven't been caught.

    Gives me shudders just thinking about it!

    Hang tough, kiddo!

  • User
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Annie, thank you, I'm really trying to get all of our ducks in a row, suggestions on anything else I can do are welcome.

    You are so right about the scale of this, more arrests will surely come once the investigations are done. Scary too is that even a large hospital is said to have been in kahoots with this doctor.

  • lucillle
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lukki, I am so sorry this happened.

    For the future, I recommend to anyone that a second opinion is worth the money in evaluating a treatment plan. Unneccesary treatment is far more common than many people realize, and I anticipate that with the numbers of insured increasing next year, that these sorts of activities will increase as well.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pervasive unneccessary medical treatment

  • Cloud Swift
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    In addition to the possibility of getting a second opinion,it is helpful to become an informed patient.

    The NCCN guidelines describe the most accepted treatments for cancers. Their guidelines for treatment of cancer by site (e.g. breast cancer) are downloadable for free. Of course there can be individual reasons to deviate from the guideline, but if a doctor is recommending a different treatment than the usual, you can ask why.

    I found the breastcancer.org website very useful both for its informative pages on how the cancers are diagnosed, classified and treated and for its forum where we could exchange information. I found help for dealing with treatment side effects and links to current research.

    Some of the other more common cancers may have similar websites. For cancer in general, the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) is helpful.

    Here is a link that might be useful: NCCN guidelines

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I also highly recommend Cancer Grace (Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education). It is a nonprofit on line website devoted to educating patients and their loved ones about cancer treatment. The best part is they have real oncologists from around the country who volunteer their time to answer patients' questions posted on the forum about cancer treatment...and you can see their responses to other patients as well where you may find answers to your questions. I found them very helpful during Mom's illness and treatment. And yes, real oncologists responded to my questions...an amazing resource.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Cancer Grace

  • justgotabme
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh Lukki, I'm so so sorry you've had to go through a year of hell with your hubby and then this on top of it all. Praise God your hubby is in remission. I wish you the best in dealing with all the legalities now. I'm just shocked.

  • maddielee
    8 years ago

    Lukk, just saw on Nightly News that tonight's (Sunday, 1-17-2016) NBC Dateline is doing a segment on Dr. Fata.




  • nhbaskets
    8 years ago

    Watching the Dateline show now. Mind boggling. Keeping Lukki and her DH in my thoughts and prayers.

  • texanjana
    8 years ago

    I just watched it, and thought of them too. Still incredulous that he couldn't be charged with murder.

  • mboston_gw
    8 years ago

    I didn't see the Dateline show but saw about it on the news. Said they discovered he was doing this when a woman who was his patient was supposed to start chemo treatment but on that day, she fell and broke her leg. Another doctor, an oncologist, who saw her while she was in for the broken leg told her she did NOT have cancer.

    Wow, if that hadn't happened to her, I wonder how much longer it might have gone on.


  • Yayagal
    8 years ago

    And to think this bum took the Hippocratic oath "Do no harm". He's a disgrace to the human race.

  • katrina_ellen
    8 years ago

    I read about this awhile ago and couldn't believe it. Unfortunately you have first-hand knowledge of it. I hope he gets everything he has coming to him in this life and the next. Glad to hear your DH is OK and I hope things just keep improving.

  • User
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Thanks for the heads up about the show Maddielee. And thank you too for the kind thoughts.

    It was weird watching it on tv and seeing people I was familiar with being interviewed. I was horrified when I heard there had been microphones and cameras in the walls. Talk about CREEPY!!!

    Over all, though vague, the report was pretty accurate, the only thing we saw misreported was the place they gave chemo in. They said the chairs were cramped and there was no where for family to sit, but we never saw that. The lounge they did the infusions in at the sites we went to were really nice, nicer and roomier than others we have been to since then.

    What surprised me is how much they left out of the report. They probably couldn't prove this but we were told by an attorney that the almost all of the revenue for Crittenton hospital's radiology department was generated by Fata and it's strongly suspected that they were in bed with him. The hospital has since been sold to Accession Health making it harder for patients to sue them. They also left out that the "resident students" Fata had mentoring under him and seeing patients (including us) were from the middle east but were not licensed to practice in the US. That his wife was the Chief Financial Officer of the practice and she claimed she knew nothing, even though thousands of medical records were pulled from his HOUSE. She (nor anyone else) was never charged with anything, she's also fled the country. I wish they would have reported that he became a naturalized citizen in 2009 while he was already stealing from the government and killing people; he lied during his oath to this country. He also used to have the hospital discharge patients from their hospital beds to make them go to his office for chemo treatment and then he'd readmit them afterwards adding thousands to the billing charges.

    That doctor they interviewed, while I'm really glad he did what he did, I still don't understand how he couldn't have known more as he used to sign off on the blood work they did on patients including my husband before each infusion. How could he review and sign off on blood work, if he didn't see the pt. history? And if he suspected there was a problem earlier why didn't he step up then? I believe that's why he's named in the suits.

  • Tmnca
    8 years ago

    I am so sorry you went through this. Yes, being an informed patient can be a good thing, however most lay people are not capable of informing themselves to the level of an oncologist, and will follow their doctor's recommendations in good faith.

  • katrina_ellen
    8 years ago

    The amount of corruption in the health system is frightening, especially when you have to rely on it, but this one takes the prize. I hope this is not happening elsewhere.

  • petalique
    8 years ago

    Lukki,

    I'm so sorry that you and your husband went through this horrible ordeal. I am glad your husband is out of the woods with this and will no longer need any more treatment for his recovery.

    I watched that program on network TV last week (Dateline perhaps) and it was so disturbing -- I don't even want to repeat what some of that "doctor's" patients went through. Maddening that no one took the oncology nurse seriously when she articulately made formal complaints.

    I don't blame you for being angry and upset and I hope that you and Fata's other victims find some peace and justice. At the same time I'm reminded of something a wrongly imprisoned (decades) man said to an interviewer when asked if he was angry. I wish I could do his phrasing justice. His comment was to the point that, yes, he could understand someone expecting him to be and stay angry and outraged, but that he'd already given over so much of his life and was not going to let the prosecutors have one more second of his joy. All states need to compensate those wrongly imprisoned and funds should be available to compensate those like you and your husband who have been so abused by a greedy medical practitioner and accomplices. The funds could come from a "just in case" surcharge on wealth gleaning practitioners. The amount of wealth Fata and that hospital garnered is obscene.

    All the best to you and your sweetheart.

  • loonlakelaborcamp
    8 years ago

    Lukki should be able to sue under the malpractice insurance the doctor had (this is why institutions REQUIRE malpractice insurance coverage to be able to admit.) This is a classic case and her husband should get a quick settlement. It does not matter how many people are suing him, if he had coverage at any time her husband was being treated, the malpractice insurer will be responsible. (Her own personal insurance company is probably suing for overcharges right now -- however that will not cover the losses she and her husband have incurred).

  • petalique
    8 years ago

    Yes, loon, I agree.

    I should correct any impression I might have given about physicians. Of course most are moral and mindful of their patients' well being. I was speaking of any practitioner who willfully causes harm.

    Very creepy, unethical and illegal of course for him to have cameras and _microphones_ out of sight. Will Fata go to prison? For long (forever would work)?

  • User
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Starsplitter and loon, thank you for the posts. Unfortunately, Multiple Meyloma is a cancer that always returns, so even though he may be in remission right now, my dear husband will never fully recover which is heartbreaking. That said, he, we were very lucky in that for the most part, we weren't "used" for financial purposes the way so many hundreds of other patients were. I think the prosecutor took the easy way out, to say he didn't intentionally kill anyone is mind boggling. Chemo kills, he knew, he did it anyway.

    My sadness is for those people who have really suffered in such tragic and needless ways and because my husband and I will never have a fully trusting relationship with a doctor again. Yes it's healthy to question, but we really don't trust anyone anymore.

    My anger or more my frustration is directed at a system that is basically corrupt and broken. So many doctors I've spoken with personally have made comments that they could tell something was off, but no one questioned anything because, as the doctor basically said in the show, it's not "politically correct to do so". I also believe the state is almost as culpible as the doctor because they were told there was a problem and they failed to meet their responsibilities.

    We are not suing because we felt very strongly that our exposure was very minimal and there are others who are in much more need of the financial aid it would offer. There isn't any money to go after anyways. All of the malpractice money and assets seized by the feds went back to Medicaid and the insurance companies. The little guys who really lost the most, were left with nothing!

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