"After over 1600 signatures to a petition, days of crowds supporting Dr. Biter, cars and trucks painted with slogans such as “We love Dr. Biter” and “Bring Biter Back,” we are pleased to confirm that an email was sent by the administration at the hospital that obstetric privileges were reinstated yesterday for the popular doctor. His gynecologic privileges were never suspended and also remain in place. While we are all excited to celebrate the reinstatement of Dr. Biter’s OB privileges at Scripps Encinitas, he has contacted one of his biggest supporters to request that no public rallies take place today at the hospital. He has also chosen to not make a public statement at this time."
"A popular Scripps doctor who embraces natural childbirth had his privileges to deliver babies briefly reinstated at Scripps Memorial Hospital in Encinitas on Friday morning, then hours later voluntarily gave up those privileges, according to a one-sentence statement released by the hospital."
The difficult thing is that neither the hospital nor Dr. Biter is offering any more information. There is much speculation about the reasons behind Dr. Biter's initial loss of privileges and subsequent reinstatement and resignation, but no one really knows for sure what has happened here and why.
I have two feelings about this situation:
- What amazing results grassroots action can achieve! To have Dr. Biter reinstated 12 days after his suspension, and 6 days after a large rally outside of the hospital. The community action involved in this issue was absolutely amazing. More communities should take action and stand up for what's important.
- How sad that Dr. Biter will no longer be providing his incredible support to women at Scripps Encinitas Hospital. He has had plans to open his own birth center in the area, and I only hope that he will be able to see those plans play out and be able to offer his services more fully under his own terms at his own birthing center. He may be better able to serve his patients in that capacity than he could if he were to remain at the hospital.
There, you have my 2 cents.
It seems rather self-evident to anyone who is familiar with hospital administration that they cut a deal so that they would reinstate Biter and he would turn around and resign, so that he wouldn't have to be turned into the state of CA and risk losing his license.
ReplyDeleteIf you go to the San Diego courthouse website and do a case search, you will see 6-7 cases where he is a defendant, for medical malpractice or gross negligence. This is far above what most OB's would ever encounter.
The intent of this person's comments are to malign, not clarify. It seems far more likely that Dr. Biter's quality care of his birthing moms did not match the Scripps Hospital idea and monetary plan of natural birth. He most likely resigned because with his reinstatement he would be expected to meet and support hospital policy regarding the preferred choice of C-sections to garner funds and protect the hospital from any fear of lawsuit from a natural birth. Too bad Scripps doesn't have the forsight and wisdom of the UCSD Birth Center...natural birth with hospital facilities so close by to meet any emergency that could arise.
ReplyDeleteIf there is to be such maligning speculation regarding the secrecy of the hospital's reasons for dispensing with Dr. Biter, or further speculation and secrecy regarding his resignation, than let's theorize the more likely scenario on Dr. Biter's behalf: there are not "6-7 (which is it, 6 or 7?) cases listed---assuming that there are ANY cases--what were the outcomes of those cases--to be charged is not to be convicted, last time I checked the law..Were that the case, a physician would not be practicing in a major hospital system such as Scripps, and he would no longer be still in GYN. For me, a person extremely familiar with hospital administration, it seems "self-evident" that Scripps found a way in releasing Dr. Biter to simplify their Birth activities, aligning with the alarming rate of birth practices that include easy, and profitable solutions for that hospital administration and those unenlightened physicians who are unaware of the latest research in the benefits of natural childbirth including however close a birthing mother can be to natural childbirth .... any effort in that realm benefits the infant and the mother---for a lifetime. Apparently, Dr. Biter will only be able to meet those needs in his own Birth Center in the future.