Houston surgeon Steve Bynon accused of denying livers to sufferers
A embellished transplant surgeon in Houston, Texas is being accused of depriving his sufferers of latest livers by exploiting a authorities database and altering their information.
Dr. J. Steve Bynon Jr. has practiced medication since 1981, and with “intensive expertise in liver transplantation,” he is carried out over 800 procedures all through his decades-long profession, in accordance with his bio on the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Middle web site.
The medical heart stated Bynon, a health care provider in its liver transplant program, admitted to altering affected person information, successfully denying them transplants, in accordance with an announcement Memorial Hermann shared with the New York Occasions on Thursday. The outlet additionally stated Bynon is employed by the College of Texas Well being Science Middle in Houston whereas working at Memorial Hermann.
Bynon, 64, has been contracted to guide Memorial Hermann’s belly transplant program since 2011, his bio on the medical heart’s web site says.
Memorial Hermann voluntarily inactivates liver, kidney transplant applications
Whereas on the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Middle, Bynon oversaw each the liver and kidney transplant applications, in accordance with his bio. Each applications have been voluntarily inactivated whereas the medical heart investigates the allegations towards Bynon, the hospital instructed USA TODAY Friday in an announcement.
“Over the previous two weeks, we’ve got been actively working with all impacted sufferers, households and caregivers from the liver and the kidney transplant applications,” in accordance with the medical heart. “… Our main precedence is making certain continuity of compassionate take care of sufferers who had been on the transplant program lists on the hospital.”
Transplant care coordinators are contacting sufferers in each applications to have a look at additional care choices, together with “a seamless transition to a different transplant program, the place crucial,” the medical heart stated.
“We’re working with the College of Texas Well being Science Middle at Houston to make the mandatory adjustments that can enable for the short reactivation of the kidney transplant program underneath a unique doctor management construction,” in accordance with the medical heart’s assertion. “All program transplant physicians are employed by the College of Well being Science Middle at Houston and contracted to Memorial Hermann to supply doctor companies.“
The medical heart’s investigation is ongoing, they usually “proceed to cooperate with all regulatory authorities,” in accordance with the assertion.
UTHealth Houston, Bynon serving to with Memorial Hermann’s investigation
UTHealth Houston, because the College of Texas Well being Science Middle in Houston is thought regionally, referred to as Bynon “an exceptionally gifted and caring doctor, and a pioneer in belly organ transplantation,” in accordance with an announcement emailed Friday to USA TODAY.
“In line with the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, Bynon’s survival charges and surgical outcomes are among the many finest within the nation, even whereas treating sufferers with higher-than-average acuity and illness complexity,” the assertion stated. “UTHealth Houston is pleased with the numerous contributions Dr. Bynon and his workforce have made to our college, our educational and scientific transplant applications, and to the sector of transplant medication.”
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UTHealth Houston’s college and employees members, together with Bynon, are serving to with the “inquiry into Memorial Hermann’s liver transplant program and are dedicated to addressing and resolving any findings recognized by this course of,” in accordance with the assertion.
When contacted by the New York Occasions by telephone on Thursday, Bynon neither confirmed nor denied that he admitted to altering affected person information, the outlet stated.
Dr. J. Steve Bynon Jr.’s alleged conduct is ‘extremely inappropriate,’ fellow physician says
The U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS) and the United Community for Organ Sharing are additionally investigating the allegations towards Bynon, in accordance with an announcement obtained by the New York Occasions.
“We acknowledge the severity of this allegation,” the HHS assertion stated. “We’re working diligently to deal with this concern with the eye it deserves.”
Dr. Sanjay Kulkarni, the vice chair of the ethics committee on the United Community for Organ Sharing, referred to as Bynon’s alleged conduct “extremely uncommon” and “extremely inappropriate,” in accordance with the New York Occasions.
“They’re sitting at residence, possibly not touring, considering they may get an organ provide any time, however in actuality, they’re functionally inactive, and they also’re not going to get that transplant,” Kulkarni instructed the outlet.
Memorial Hermann sufferers had been taken off of liver transplant ready record as a result of loss of life or critical sickness
Final 12 months, 14 sufferers at Memorial Hermann had been taken off the middle’s ready record as a result of them both dying or turning into too unwell, in accordance with the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, which evaluates transplant facilities within the U.S. The mortality fee of individuals ready for a transplant on the medical heart was greater than anticipated, the researchers say.
A hospital spokeswoman instructed the New York Occasions that the medical heart handled sufferers who had been extra severely unwell than common.
Memorial Hermann carried out 30 liver transplants and 132 kidney transplants in 2023, the Houston Chronicle reported.
It stays unclear what number of sufferers had been on Memorial Hermann’s ready record earlier than each transplant applications had been inactivated.
