Regardless of the conclusions of the four investigations into St. Pantelimon Hospital, what happened in this case is of extreme seriousness, and the consequences, one way or another, should be commensurate.
We can only have two scenarios. Either authentic premeditated crimes truly took place in the ICU department of that hospital, or we are witnessing a feud between two conflicting groups of doctors and nurses that has sparked a genuine nuclear war.
Converging sources within the healthcare system say that under the leadership of a rather weak manager, the confrontation in the hospital had been ongoing for some time.
The apocalyptic scenario
Personally, it is very difficult for me to believe that a group of doctors, practically an entire ICU department, constituted an organized criminal group with the purpose of killing patients.
Because this would not be a malpractice committed by mistake or negligence. It wouldn't even be the action of some deranged "angel of death," as seen elsewhere in the world. It would be outright criminal organization within a hospital department with the purpose of killing patients. Something apocalyptic.
This doesn't mean that this scenario can be entirely ruled out, and it is very important for the investigations, both professional and criminal, which, we understand, will also involve the exhumation of the 17 deceased individuals between April 4-7 in the ICU department of the hospital, to be extremely precise and comprehensive.
The investigation, especially the criminal one, will be complex because all medical records need to be analyzed, most likely handwritten and more or less legible, it needs to be verified if the infusion pumps used have memory cards and what they indicate, in addition to witness testimonies, expert opinions. But the Homicide Department of the Bucharest Police has the experience and competence required.
The medical investigation will, of course, follow the therapeutic conduct, and I am glad that the President of the Bucharest College of Physicians, Dr. Cătălina Poiană, has expressed the necessity for a quick outcome.
However, a higher number of deaths than the average within a short period, the only objective element of the accusations, must be carefully verified because deficiencies in activity, meaning malpractice, do not necessarily have to involve a crime.
As horrifying as the public scenario sounds, the reaction of the families of the 17 patients whose deaths are suspected of being homicides is natural. And from their testimonies, a very poor communication with patients and relatives, lack of empathy in interacting with people, emerges. A chronic illness of the healthcare system in Romania.
But it is not only about the families' reaction, but also about the society's horror.
The emotional fire effect
Already, trust in the Romanian healthcare system was not at its highest. The pandemic and periodic scandals, often unfortunate interactions with hospitals, have maintained a simmering discontent, which now receives a trigger of proportions.
And from here stems a very serious effect of the current emotional fire: the discrediting and anathematization of the medical community as a whole. Even if the horrors alleged at St. Pantelimon were committed, the guilty parties would be a limited number of individuals with names and surnames, not an entire profession.
On the other hand, I notice, especially on Facebook, how many people consider themselves experts in one of the most challenging medical specialties - intensive care anesthesia, despite having no medical training.
Several ICU doctors have attempted to provide some cautious explanations amidst the general uproar. Below you will find a post from Dr. Laura Zarafin at Colentina Hospital, and I invite you to read the comments of the doctors, which are extremely relevant for those who want to understand some medical aspects of the case.
As explained by ICU specialists, norepinephrine, the use of which is under discussion, has a very wide dosage range, with the minimum dose being 300 times smaller than the maximum possible dose.
Depending on the pathology, patient reactions, adjusting doses, including over time, is a matter of finesse. As long as there is no single correct dose, it is difficult to understand a general accusation regarding a wrong dose.
Tertium non datur
If we draw the line, proving an organized group of serial crimes in the ICU department of a hospital would be a terrible reality that would require major sanctions beyond the potential perpetrators and would cast doubt on the entire healthcare system.
But if the investigation proves it was just a massive slander, a person willing to induce such panic and distrust in the healthcare system should permanently disappear from the profession, possibly through the doors of a prison.
This is even more crucial considering the lack of trust in state institutions. I have no doubt that many Romanians would remain with the suspicion of a cover-up, if not the belief that a group of doctors has turned into intentional and premeditated murderers.