tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16666926036759017842024-02-08T13:55:48.977-05:00Duke.Fact.CheckerTo reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.comBlogger497125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-49038670691369896842012-05-11T02:10:00.001-04:002012-05-11T02:10:23.410-04:00Potti reportedly gets new jobDr anil Potti has reportedly gotten a new job as a physician with a group practice that focuses on assisted living centers.
He also makes house calls.
We now post as dukecheck.com and full details are there.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-84694639791087073352012-04-07T10:36:00.002-04:002012-04-07T10:37:31.607-04:00Potti reneges on obligation to serve poor in India in exchange for medical degreePlease go to www.DukeCheck.com to read this story. That is our new website.<br /><br />Search words Anil Potti Duke UniversityTo reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-51646530792185609282012-03-24T03:58:00.002-04:002012-03-24T03:59:24.777-04:00Key report in Potti Mess releasedKey words: Duke University Anil Potti Institute of Medicine<br /><br />The august Institute of Medicine has completed its intensive and deep review of the Anil Potti scandal and issued a report that runs 300 pages.<br /><br />We have the complete story on our new website: www.DukeCheck.com Please join us there.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-91354157543781812962012-03-19T01:04:00.001-04:002012-03-19T01:05:44.123-04:00Potti: papers missing. He had keysCourt papers show that Dr Anil Potti -- who now claims he has no paperwork or other documentation of his years at Duke University -- kept the keys to his office and lab for four months after his suspension.<br /><br />Details are at our new location: www.DukeCheck.comTo reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-13030344572683964842012-03-15T01:52:00.001-04:002012-03-15T01:53:37.764-04:00POTTI BOMBSHELLSSearch terms: Anil Potti Duke University<br /><br />DEVELOPING........<br /><br />University of Michigan cancer surgeon emerges, says he warned Duke about Potti as early as 2006.<br /><br />Experts say Duke, Potti and Nevins would have raked in $2 billion a year from Potti’s genome testing of cancer patients.<br /><br />Duke Fact Checker now posts as www.DukeCheck.com We will post details on our new website as soon as possible tonight.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-537412158790712582012-03-09T13:57:00.003-05:002012-03-09T13:59:55.396-05:00Missouri acts against Anil Potti's license to practice medicineSearch words: Anil Potti Duke University<br /><br />Dr. Anil Potti -- just days before the 60 Minutes broadcast that cost him his job in South Carolina -- received a license to practice medicine in Missouri for the first time.<br /><br />Now Missouri officials -- taking note of his faked resume and reports of research misconduct -- have subjected Potti to a "public reprimand."<br /><br />Duke Fact Checker now posts as DukeCheck.com, and we have more details on that website.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-71121634789263457402012-02-22T17:13:00.002-05:002012-02-22T17:15:59.954-05:00Potti no longer practicing in South CarolinaSearch terms Anil Potti Duke University Coastal Cancer<br /><br />Without using the word fired, or any other characterization, the Coastal Cancer Center in Myrtle Beach has confirmed that Dr. Anil Potti is out of there.<br /><br />The Center blamed Potti's hiring on his colleagues at Duke University who wrote "glowing" letters of recommendation.<br /><br />We now post as www.DukeCheck.com and would welcome your joining us there for the full story.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-69432324896558986402012-02-22T01:24:00.003-05:002012-02-22T01:25:22.592-05:00Anil Potti fired??search words Duke University Anil Potti<br /><br /><br />The name of dr Anil Potti no longer appears on the website of the Coastal Cancer Center in South Carolina.<br /><br />For full details as we know them, we now post at WWW.DukeCheck.comTo reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-39225402642474259942012-02-18T00:31:00.002-05:002012-02-18T00:33:11.540-05:00Duke University, Duke Medicine back gay familiesDuke has issued a strong statement that stops just short of urging a NO vote on the proposed state constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.<br /><br />The statement says recognition of gay families is essential for Duke in recruiting and retaining faculty, staff and students.<br /><br />Duke Fact checker now posts as DukeCheck.com. Please join us there.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-4235127563773601942012-02-13T03:50:00.002-05:002012-02-13T03:52:36.055-05:00Cancer quack Potti to dying patient: "I will help you. Trust me.""60 Minutes" explored the fraud of Dr. Anil Potti last night. Potti declined to appear, but his mentor at Duke University, Dr Joseph Nevins, gave a strong presentation.<br /><br />Duke Fact Checker now flogs as DukeCheck.com and we invite you to read our extensive coverage and the transcript of the broadcast.<br /><br />Thank you.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-28365060380664020062012-02-12T09:34:00.002-05:002012-02-12T09:37:47.836-05:00Saga of Anil Potti continuesThere are three important developments this weekend in the Anil Potti Mess.<br /><br />First, Sunday evening CBS News will devote the first segment of 60 Minutes to the scandal.<br /><br />Second, for the first time, a Duke official has conceded that Potti's patients were exposed to great risk by his clinical trials. That is, by his experiments on human patients.<br /><br />And to round out the ignominious weekend, a leading medical journal has published "corrections" to two Potti "research" papers -- deep corrections, making one wonder why the entire article was not zapped.<br /><br />Duke Fact Checker now posts at www.DukeCheck.com, and we invite you to join us there for details and continuing coverageTo reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-10763857318630512622012-02-06T15:21:00.003-05:002012-02-06T15:22:23.066-05:00Potti - Nevins retract another articleDr Anil Potti and Dr Joseph Nevins have retracted a 9th article from a prestigious medical journal.<br /><br />Fact Checker now posts at WWW.DukeCheck.com and we invite you to join us there for late news and views about Duke University.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-33093536020609138922012-01-31T04:32:00.002-05:002012-01-31T04:34:25.853-05:00Cameron Crazies disappearThe Duke University men's basketball team is high in the ratings -- #5 and #7 this week -- but its fans continue to disappear.<br /><br />DukeCheck.com reports this morning that K-Ville -- the tent city at the door to Cameron Indoor Stadium populated by the most avid fans looking for prime seats -- has drawn only one-third as many entrants this year as last.<br /><br />Duke Fact Checker now posts as www.DukeCheck.com and we invite you ato join us there.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-74377796662053636432012-01-11T03:57:00.001-05:002012-01-11T03:59:02.967-05:00We call for a review of Dr. Anil Potti's medical licensesDuke Fact Checker now posts at DukeCheck.com Same people, same issues, same bite.<br /><br />Here is today's essay... saving you the trouble of clicking just this once.<br /><br />We are quite troubled and feel impelled to raise again with Loyal Readers the vexing issues that surround -- no, engulf is a better word -- Dr. Anil Potti. We wish to outline why we believe that the state of North Carolina should conduct a new review of his medical license, and South Carolina should re-visit its decision to grant him a multi-year license that allows him to practice in that state with no supervision.<br /><br />We also believe that Duke University should obtain a court order stopping Potti from trading on the name of our school, for we now know that his entire six-year career here was replete with dishonor. Such an order would have prevented his hiring a PR firm to flood the internet with favorable press releases mentioning Duke, pushing the terrible news deep down in search engines. And it would have prevented the latest chutzpah, with Potti attaching Duke's name to a new "research" paper he has just published in a respected medical journal, the Annals of Surgical Oncology.<br /><br />Potti's subject was ovarian cancer -- the same research that has resulted in several other journals retracting his publications. With eight retractions for ovarian and breast cancer under his belt so far, the prolific Potti will experience more, perhaps 20 before the end of this sordid affair.<br /><br />While it is incredulous that Potti's latest paper survived the peer review process that preceded publication in the Annals, the editors share responsibility and should be ashamed. The court order we suggest would have planted a brighter flag of caution.<br /><br />And before we return this essay to Potti's license, we note that Duke apparently never checked any of Potti's resume. President Brodhead has stated the policy Duke follows in taking these things at face value is working just fine. We think not.<br /><br />As for Dr. Potti, we call for stern action; we do not write lightly. Here's how we reach our critical conclusions.<br /><br />Potti's North Carolina medical license.<br /><br />The North Carolina Medical Board says that in July, 2010, it received "information concerning possible misconduct related to Dr. Potti's oncology research work at Duke Medical Center." The Board investigated and reached what amounts to a plea bargain with Potti, giving him a reprimand, one of the lightest of punishments that might have escalated to revocation of his license.<br /><br />In its reprimand order, the board states that simultaneously with the receipt of the first information -- and apparently not linked at all the problems alleged, but just a coincidence -- "Dr. Potti voluntarily suspended all of his clinical activities at Duke Medical Center on July 16, 2010."<br /><br />Voluntarily.<br /><br />That word certainly leaves a different impression than a lengthy memo sent by Chancellor Victor Dzau to the faculty of the Medical School, which tersely makes clear there was nothing "voluntary" about it:<br /><br />"I felt it important to provide you with an update on our actions in response to allegations regarding Dr. Potti... Dr. Potti was placed on administrative leave at the end of the day Friday, July 16."<br /><br />That's one dimension of the errors from the board: a fundamental misunderstanding of the rupture of Potti's relationship with Duke.<br /><br />There is more. As part of its reprimand, the Medical Board read materials submitted by Duke Medicine wrong, the reprimand order stating "while there were some inaccuracies on the biographical sketch and curriculum vitae, they were largely the result of carelessness and honest errors with no clear intention to mislead."<br /><br />Those words do appear in Duke materials that the Medical Board examined -- but they are ripped out of context. Those words apply to one narrow segment of Potti's work at the University. Looking at how the Medical Board employed the key words broadly in its reprimand order, Duke had a one word characterization: "inaccurate."<br /><br />In a new statement to the Board, Duke called attention to the earlier words of Provost Peter Lange:<br /><br />“... in a publicly released statement that followed the University’s investigation into Dr. Potti’s curriculum vitae and biosketches, ‘issues of substantial concern were identified’ and have resulted in corresponding sanctions. In fact, the inquiry committee evaluating the research misconduct matter also noted that ‘the sheer number of errors’ in Dr. Potti’s biosketches and CVs was a ‘serious concern.’ To suggest in the Consent Order that Duke concluded there were some inaccuracies, all the result of carelessness and honest errors with no intention to mislead, is inaccurate.”<br /><br />With this new material in hand, lawyers for the Board, Duke and Potti went to work. And they sandpapered out a new version for a revised reprimand order:<br /><br />"Dr. Potti's curriculum vitae and Duke Medical Center biographical sketches contained inaccuracies. Dr. Potti used the inaccurate curriculum vitae and biographical sketches in connection with obtaining funding for his medical research. Dr. Potti failed to correct those inaccuracies in a timely fashion. However, the Board has no evidence from which it could conclude that Dr. Potti received funding for medical research as a result of the inaccuracies that he would not otherwise have received."<br /><br />Loyal Readers, we are not only talking about a faked Rhodes Scholarship. We are talking about a list of honors that simply were not tendered, a procession of lies. And we must wonder if the Board -- which says it has no evidence that this chicanery played role in getting the well-financed Potti grants -- actually looked for evidence.<br /><br />Certainly, the American Cancer Society -- which demanded a refund of three quarters of a million dollars in research grants and got it from Duke -- might have evidence.<br /><br />The sandpapering by attorneys is not enough.<br /><br />The Board, in saying that Duke considered Potti's lies "honorable mistakes," built upon a foundation that was cracked. The plea bargain that Potti made with the Board resulted in a November 22nd order for a reprimand. Had the Board used valid information, it might well have reached for a sterner punishment for "professional misconduct," perhaps a suspension or even a revocation.<br /><br />We note too that as one division of the Medical Board was preparing the reprimand order, another was receiving information that Potti and Duke had settled 11 malpractice claims, one dating back to 2007. These were patients who were enrolled in his faked clinical trials (which is to say human experiments) and the Board reports each received a monetary settlement. We only know the money involved in each case was more than $75,000, which is the only bracket the board uses.<br /><br />And the 11 settlements are only the tip of the iceberg. Potti and Duke are being sued -- and it is likely more plaintiffs might emerge, with a federal lawsuit in West Virginia a distinct possibility.<br /><br />The Medical Board notes that it is now reviewing each of these instances.<br /><br />Fortified by the unfolding malpractice mess, the Board should have followed a better route: made it clear that the reprimand is an interim order pending full consideration of the many facets of this still unfolding scandal.<br /><br />And now Potti's South Carolina license<br /><br />His Duke career over, Potti quickly and amazingly found a physician's position with the Coastal Cancer Center, a small chain headquartered in Mrytle Beach. He works principally in the pint-sized town of Loring, which is quite close to the Atlantic Ocean and southeast corner of North Carolina.<br /><br />Coastal Cancer does clinical trials, and has in the past contracted with Duke. We are assured by the Principal Investigator that a trial mentioned on the Coastal website is not active, the one Coastal patient involved in the Duke study having completed his involvement several years ago.<br /><br />In applying for a South Carolina license -- which was granted on April 6, 2011 -- Potti sent an extraordinary letter on January 15. He describes the situation at Duke as "a past controversy" that was "in no way related to my abilities, performance or conduct as a physician or care giver."<br /><br />Does he have responsibility now to update that, revealing the continuing questions surrounding him?<br /><br />Potti states he made the error about a Rhodes Scholarship because as a poor boy from India, he did not realize the honor involved study at Oxford University. He says he got confused because an association of winners of the Rhodes awards from Australia (who go to England for study) helps a graduate student to study in that Down Under country every year.<br /><br />Potti slurs through the fact that he was merely mentioned for this award, was not made a full fledged candidate and was never awarded the honor. His resume had no nuances: it said he was a Rhodes Scholar.<br /><br />And it says Rhodes Scholar - Australia, and Rhodes Scholar (Australian Board) shaking his poor boy assertion that he did not know the real Rhodes was at Oxford.<br /><br />While Potti contends the Rhodes was his only problem, he never mentions, for example, that at the same time he was supposedly on his Rhodes Scholarship, he said he was mentored at an Australian university that does not exist by a distinguished professor who never heard of him. To merely begin the list.<br /><br />The Rhodes was his only problem. This statment also ignores very substantial issues in his clinical trials and treatment of patients.<br /><br />This gets pretty deep.<br /><br />--The North Carolina board says it learned of issues involving Potti in July, 2010. While it is not known when the pending charges were brought to Potti’s attention, he certified to South Carolina authorities in applying for a license he did not face any disciplinary charges. The timeline needs careful review.<br /><br />– Potti also certified to the South Carolina board that there was never a period of 30 days or more that he did not engage in the practice of medicine. What we know is that he says he voluntarily stopped practicing at Duke on July 16, he was suspended on July 18, and he resigned on November 19, with Duke letting him, inexpicably, stay on until December 1st. We think there is a decent question here as to whether 30 days passed.<br /><br />-- The South Carolina Medical Board considered Potti's application with the benefit of a rather preposterous letter sent by Dr. Jeffrey Crawford, the chief of Duke Medicine's oncology staff, that praised Potti to the hilt. This letter was actually addressed to the Coastal Medical Center as a recommendation for employment -- and not submitted directly by Crawford.<br /><br />Crawford used these words:<br /><br />"...Honesty, integirty and humility."<br /><br />"...great admiration and respect.."<br /><br />And the kicker, "Anil developed an impressive research program..."<br /><br />This was written on official Duke University Medical Center stationery. And we understand Crawford got into hot water because of it.<br /><br />Crawford, to his credit, responded immediately on two occasions to our challenge of his praise of Potti. He stated unequivocally that his letter was a mistake. Unfortunately, he diluted this confession by saying that he -- Duke's #1 cancer doc -- did not know of the extent of Potti's troubles at the time he wrote the effusive letter.<br /><br />Crawford has also taken the position that his letter went to Coastal Cancer Center; that it became a central document in the application for a South Carolina license does not seem to drive him to contact the South Carolina board about his own reevaluation.<br /><br />We believe he should.<br /><br />We note that in his South Carolina application, which we obtained via a Freedom of Information Request, Potti stated he had never received psychiatric treatment. Meaning that whatever demons drove him to ruin at Duke may well be still alive in his head.<br /><br />Those demons could easily once again cause him to falsify his credentials, to dream up theories about crazy treatment, and to fudge research to show his theories held water. And there is no saying what he might do in the privacy of an examination and treatment room one on one with a patient.<br /><br />Patients who are seriously ill, who seek out a doctor in hope, should not find hell. That is our paramount concern, not to repeat what happened at Duke. At the very least, Dr. Potti should be on probation, required to undergo analysis, and have another doctor looking over his shoulder and affirming every important decision for a period of years.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-43485647663437708352012-01-09T19:37:00.002-05:002012-01-09T19:40:22.953-05:00Potti retracts 8th medical journal articleDr. Anil Potti, the disgraced Duke University cancer quack, has retracted his 8th article... this one from the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association.<br /><br />Potti's mentor, Dr. Joseph Nevins, who is a Ph.D. and not a medical doctor, as well as other Duke scientists joined in.<br /><br />Duke.Fact.Checker now posts at WWW.DukeCheck.com Please join us there for full details available after 1 AM Tuesday January 10.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-69567570393940432882012-01-01T02:59:00.002-05:002012-01-01T03:01:31.592-05:00Potti publishes new scholarly article based upon Duke researchThe thoroughly discredited cancer quack Anil Potti has published a new research paper in an authoritative medical journal -- with a Duke colleague joining as co-author.<br /><br />The article appears with no notation of the unraveling of Potti's career.<br /><br />Duke Fact Checker now posts as on www.DukeCheck.com and we invite you to join us there for further details.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-60393495632381364932011-12-16T20:26:00.002-05:002011-12-16T20:28:52.081-05:00POTTI MESS - quack explains his conductDecember 16 2011 -- Dr Anil Potti has explained his conduct while at Duke University -- from the faked Rhodes Scholarship through research with made-up results -- in a letter to the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners.<br /><br />Fact Checker now posts as www.DukeCheck.com and we look forward to your continuing to read our blog at its new location.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-65165736364148576102011-12-15T23:52:00.001-05:002011-12-15T23:53:14.169-05:00Dr Anil Potti settles with 11 patientskeywords Dr Anil Potti malpractice Duke University cancer<br /><br />Our blog is now located at WWW.dukecheck.com<br /><br />same people, same bite, new address. please join us.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-29252629173743117352011-12-06T11:30:00.003-05:002011-12-06T11:31:42.281-05:00Potti Mess: Duke challenges Med Board conclusion on resumeSearch words cancer Duke University Anil Potti<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Duke came out swinging this morning, slamming the North Carolina Medical Board for saying the university had determined the fraudulent resume of Dr. Anil Potti — the cancer quack who faked a Rhodes Scholarship and other credentials — was the result of “honest errors.”<br /><br />A no-nonsense letter from the University General Counsel’s Office to the president of the Medical Board used one word to describe its interpretation of Duke’s investigation: “inaccurate.”</span><br /><br />Our blog is now at www.DukeCheck.com <br />Please join us there to continue reading.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-91428858829468187462011-12-05T04:33:00.001-05:002011-12-05T04:34:22.224-05:00Potti cops plea, keeps NC medical licenseDr Anil Potti has gotten off with a reprimand from the North Carolina Medical Board.<br />See our new blog...... www.DukeCheck.com for details.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-46220108846707719992011-11-17T11:32:00.003-05:002011-11-17T11:33:28.742-05:00Fuqua guts plans for Kunshan. Chinese government to prohibit all religion on campus -- praying and teachingKey words Duke University Kunshan Richard Brodhead Duke Kunshan University<br /><br /><br />OUR BLOG has moved. Same stuff. No location. www.DukeCheck.com<br /><br />Thanks!To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-61329368689560474052011-11-02T03:57:00.001-04:002011-11-02T03:59:07.848-04:00We've moved. Same dog. Same bite. New location<span style="font-weight:bold;">Fact Checker is now www.DukeCheck.com</span><br /><br />Search words: Duke University, Duke Kunshan University, Anil Potti, Richard Brodhead.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-28917217508543424112011-09-10T20:14:00.009-04:002011-09-14T16:32:50.529-04:00We've moved!!! Fact Checker is now www.DukeCheck.com.<br />✔✔✔✔✔ <span style="font-weight:bold;">Our new address is www.DukeCheck.com <br /><br />Same barking dog, same bite. New address.<br /><br />If you did not see our posts about the resignation of Dr. Cuffe, and the lawsuits against Dr. Potti, please read them on this blog.<br /><br />Thanks for reading, and let us know what you think!<br /><br /></span>To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-32851973518112764412011-09-09T18:32:00.002-04:002011-09-09T18:34:57.269-04:00HelpFC wants to hear from more people on campus about their experiences during the tornado alerts last Tuesday.<br /><br />What happened when Duke issued a high level WARNING in the early afternoon. What did you do? What did university employees do? Their supervisors? What training did you have.<br /><br />We particularly want to hear from people who have contact with patients in Duke Health.<br /><br />Fact Checker assures all sources of confidentiality. After your e-mail is read, it is deleted.To reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1666692603675901784.post-52945092525643562162011-09-08T23:25:00.035-04:002011-09-14T13:52:02.713-04:00Duke Health losing its Chief Medical Officer after just 8 weeks. New job, and enormous salary increase, for Dr Michael Cuffe at Hosp Corp of America<span style="font-style:italic;">.<br />Make sure you scroll down after reading this: first Potti Mess lawsuit filed.</span><br /><br />✔✔✔✔✔<br />✔✔✔✔✔ <span style="font-weight:bold;">Chancellor Victor Dzau said last night that he has "unofficial" word that Dr. Michael Cuffe -- named Chief Medical Officer for all of Duke Health just eight weeks ago -- was resigning.</span><br /><br />In fact Dzau was just being careful and polite, leaving to Cuffe and his new employer, the Hospital Corporation of America, the formal announcement. The chancellor -- reached after FC received a flurry of tips from Loyal Readers -- joined others in contact with FC to express deep regret at Duke's loss and best wishes to Cuffe as he leaves for an unparalleled opportunity -- no longer in academic medicine but in the corporate world. <br /><br />Word of Cuffe's resignation -- effective in November -- sent a shock wave through the medical campus, where Cuffe enjoys a sterling reputation. One source told FC his mood was one of disappointment; he praised Cuffe as "brilliant," and said he had seemed devoted to Duke and effecting change, and had been lured by high paying corporate offers before. <br /><br />Cuffe, who had been vice dean of the Medical School (and holder of a couple other titles) leapfrogged over others at Duke Medicine to his post in the inner circle in July. He also was given the title of vice president for ambulatory care, with vast authority over the ever-expanding medical empire.<br /><br />Cuffe -- an alumnus of the medical school '91 who took it upon himself to earn an MBA in 2009 -- is a cardiologist. He was regarded as having an inside track to succeed Dzau if the chancellor elects to retire in three years, when he will be 68 and his current five-year contract expires. We believe Cuffe is about 47 years old. We did not reach him last night, as it got pretty late before we put together elements of the story.<br /><br />✔✔ Cuffe will join the Nashville based Hospital Corporation of America, a behemouth that runs for-profit hospitals, employs 180,000 people and had sales last year of $33 billion. He reportedly will hold the title of XXX president and chief operating officer, #2 in command under a board chair who will reach retirement age in six years. This position has been open for some time. XXX correction: While Dr Cuffe will hold the title of president, this is in a particular division, rather than being corporate wide. XXX <br /><br />Correction: our original post, based upon what we understood to be his new job, estimated his new salary. We can no longer support those calculations and have XXX them to flag historians who value FC!<br /><br />XXX Cuffe, who earned $535,201 in the last year for which we have information, can expect a rather hefty increase. His new boss, HCA chair Richard Bracken, earned a neat $38,201,047 last year. <br /><br />Cuffe also does a leapfrog at HCA, landing ahead of eight group presidents. So far as FC can determine, the highest earning of those was Samuel Hazen, president of the operations group, who took down $15,001,816 last year. XXXX<br /><br />✔ Fact Checker -- in compiling those numbers -- also spotted a rather serious diversity issue at HCA. There are 15 corporate directors -- all of them male, all of them white. Among the directors are two members of the Frist family, multi-billionnaires several times over, who founded HCA. The most notable family member is former US Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Republican of course. <br /><br />The diversity issue also pervades the list of senior officers of the corporation, pictured on-line. Among 23 senior officers of the corporation, there are three females. As for males, one is named Juan, one conceivably might be black, and the rest are all white.<br /><br />✔ <span style="font-weight:bold;">An important angle of this story involves the retired chair of HCA, Jack Bovender, Trustee of Duke and since July 1, vice chair of the board. The issue is whether he had any role in recruiting Cuffe, one of Duke's stars.<br /><br />If so, it raises the question of Bovender's stewardship at the university. As a Trustee, he has a fiduciary responsibility to act totally in Duke's interests. In other words, we can't have Trustees going around stealing our key people for their profit enterprises!</span><br /><br />Time will tell.<br /><br />FC posted the following on July 13 when Cuffe was promoted to Chief of Medicine. <br /><br />http://dukefactchecker.blogspot.com/2011/07/duke-medicine-makes-major.htmlTo reach Fact Checkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12119443972958976635noreply@blogger.com0