Intern Forgets to Write “Appreciate GI’s Recs” in Patient Note, GI Fellow Inconsolable

BOSTON, MA – In what can only be described as a quagmire of apology emails, face-to-face meetings, and sensitivity seminars, the fallout from Robbie Coogan’s documentation gaff last week continues to leave hospital employees in a state of emotional turmoil.

When consulting the gastroenterology service for his patient’s abdominal pain, the three-month intern neglected to copy forward his last note’s “continue to appreciate GI’s recs” in the plan portion the problem list.  When GI fellow Dr. Michael Schwerin read the note later that night, he was devastated.

“It’s just that I look for that comment to know if they still like my idea to go to a BID PPI.  I really put my neck on the line for that one,” lamented a tearful Schwerin, his wife and their three children at his side.

Schwerin’s pain has drawn the support of other hospital consultants.  Dr. Nellie Berdnan of psychiatry described Coogan’s actions as “borderline pathologic versus pathologically borderline.”  Nephrologist Sam Patel echoed the sentiment: “If I put in the time to tell the primary team to order renal electrolytes so they can calculate a FeNa, I want to know my work is appreciated.”  At time of press, dermatology could not be reached for comment, as their four-day weekend had begun.

An associate program director of the internal medicine residency program, who declined to be identified by name, emphasized that the issue was being addressed, swiftly and thoroughly.  “Honestly, we expect mistakes to happen every now and then as residents begin their training.  Forgetting a problem in the problem list… forgetting the entire physical exam.  But this, this isn’t just unprofessional.  It’s cruel.”

Coogan’s legal team has advised him against commenting on the issue, but they assured attendees of Sunday’s press conference that Robbie was taking the necessary steps to see if some underlying medical issue may have been the root of his negligence.  As evidence, they cited the recent CT scan of Robbie Coogan’s head, which the preliminary radiology read described as, “No acute intracranial process but cannot rule out pneumonia.”

A hospital wide-email went out from administrators last Friday that listed the available support services offered for those affected.  In it, they stressed the notions of community and forgiveness.

But forgiveness may be too much for Dr. Michael Schwerin to deal with at this time.  In his appearance on Good Morning America earlier today, the third year GI fellow asserted, to a resounding applause from camera crew and a sympathetic hug from co-host George Stephanopoulos, “If he think’s I’m going write end my note with ‘Thank you for the interesting consult,’ he’s got another thing coming.”