Macedonian Health Minister Azir Aliu has announced the results of a foreign committee that analyzed suspicions of possible unnecessary cardiac and cardiac surgery interventions in private hospitals carried out for financial gain.
Cardiologist Sashko Kedev was the first to sound the alarm in the heart surgery scandal, and publicly pointed out possible irregularities in some of the treatments and interventions.
According to Minister Aliu, a total of 13 cases were investigated.
“Out of a total of 13 cases analyzed, related to suspicions of unnecessary surgeries or unnecessary referrals for surgery, the foreign commission concluded in four patients that the treatment provided was generally medically appropriate, timely and in line with accepted standards of clinical practice,” Aliu said.
However, in the remaining nine cases, according to the health minister, foreign experts confirmed suspicious findings in the documentation and diagnostic evaluation.
“In the remaining nine patients, according to foreign experts, the documentation indicates suspicious findings during the diagnostic evaluation, for example, a discrepancy between the angiographic findings from the coronary angiography and the written report, which resulted in an inappropriate indication for the procedures, whether endovascular or surgical,” said Minister Aliu.
This is a case that has raised serious doubts in the public about possible unnecessary interventions on patients, with possible financial motives.
