Nearly 2,000 patients are being contacted by Victorian health authorities due to concerns the surgeon who carried out their colonoscopies did not do the job properly.
Safer Care Victoria (SCV) issued a recall message today, which affects public and private colonoscopy patients in the Albury-Wodonga region who were treated by surgeon Liu-Ming Schmidt since 2018.
In a statement, SCV said an independent panel of experts had reviewed Dr Schmidt's work after concerns were raised by Albury Wodonga Health.
"It has found that some colonoscopies performed or supervised by Dr Schmidt were incomplete, including insufficient duration and thoroughness of each procedure," SCV said.
"The procedures were performed or supervised by Dr Schmidt at Albury Wodonga Health, Albury Wodonga Private Hospital and Insight Private Hospital (located at the Gardens Medical Centre) between 2018 and 2022."
Dr Schmidt also performed breast, thyroid and skin cancer surgeries at the clinics, but SCV said those procedures had been "thoroughly reviewed" by experts who determined no follow-up treatment was required.
Separate surgery carried out by Dr Schmidt in 2019 is being scrutinised by a coronial inquest, after a patient died from complications of peritonitis. The inquest heard last year the doctor felt "out of her depth" after making a "significant error" in surgery.
Albury Wodonga Health CEO Bill Appleby acknowledged the "tragic set of circumstances" involved in that inquest but said it was "quite unrelated" to the colonoscopies being recalled.
"That related to some general surgery and certainly in terms of the surgeon in question, her scope of practice was modified at that time in 2020," he said.
Risk of undiagnosed cancers 'low'
SCV CEO Mike Roberts said while the risk to patients was expected to be low in most cases, he understood it would be a distressing experience.
He said all affected patients would be contacted directly over the next few days to assess what follow-up treatment was needed.
Anyone with immediate concerns can call 1800 950 677 or access counselling through mental health hubs on 1300 375 330.
The Department of Health's chief surgical advisor Benjamin Thomson said the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre was involved in the response and would help any patients who had developed cancer that went undiagnosed.
"I think the risk is low that this is going to happen, but if it does occur we have the right teams ready to treat these patients as quickly as we can," Professor Thomson said.
Hospital 'deeply sorry' for patient ordeal
Professor Roberts said since the "exceptional circumstance" was discovered, Albury Wodonga Health had commissioned a new software system to monitor clinical performance.
He also noted health ministers in Victoria and New South Wales had appointed new board members to Albury Wodonga Health in the wake of a report provided by SCV.
He said the Medical Council of NSW was instituting a hearing today which could result in the suspension of practicing rights for Dr Schmidt.
Leaders from the hospitals apologised to the patients involved and said any travel costs involved in follow-up treatment would be covered.
"We are deeply sorry for their experience," Albury Wodonga Health CEO Bill Appleby said.
"This is not the standard of care that they deserve, nor is it the standard of care that we expect to deliver."
