In the realm of medicine, a code of ethics governs the actions of doctors, holding them to the sacred tenets of medical confidentiality and non-maleficence. Dr. Paul DeLeeuw, a seasoned anesthesiologist and bariatrician with a career spanning back to 1978, vividly recalls a moment when he saved a life and later found himself wrestling with an unforeseen moral quandary.
Travel back to 1984 or 1985, when Dr. DeLeeuw was diligently practicing anesthesia in a bustling South Florida hospital. Despite the hospital’s commendable success, he and his colleagues often felt besieged, plagued by the constant threat of personal injury malpractice lawyers eagerly anticipating any surgical mishap.
In those high-pressure times, tales of multi-million-dollar legal awards were rampant, some granted for outcomes that seemed utterly unavoidable. It was a daunting period for anyone working in the surgical field, knowing that the shadow of litigation loomed large.
One day, a fellow anesthesiologist posed a thought-provoking query to Dr. Paul DeLeeuw: “If you found yourself with a personal injury lawyer on the operating table in dire need, would you endeavor to save them?” After a moment of contemplation, Dr. DeLeeuw responded, “Yes, I probably would. I can’t envision any other course of action.” With a touch of humor, he added, “Who knows, perhaps they’d share some of their award money!”
Little did Dr. DeLeeuw realize that this seemingly hypothetical question and light-hearted response would serve as a harbinger for a remarkable event on the horizon.
One evening, shortly after this conversation, Dr. Paul DeLeeuw and his wife found themselves in the audience at The Coconut Grove Playhouse, waiting for a show to commence. However, the performance was marred by a delay, and the audience patiently endured the holdup.
Then, a cry echoed from the back of the main seating gallery: “Is there a doctor in the house?!” Dr. Paul DeLeeuw recollects, “We squirmed uncomfortably. If this was part of the show, it was bound to be excessively clichéd. ‘Is there a doctor in the house?!’ came the plea again.”
Much to his astonishment, when he stood up and glanced toward the theater’s rear, he spotted a middle-aged man slumped over in his seat. A younger man beside him was frantically waving his arms in distress. Dr. Paul DeLeeuw swiftly made his way through the now-congested aisle and carefully maneuvered the older man’s limp body into the aisle, gently laying him down.
Dr. Paul DeLeeuw quickly assessed the situation and determined that the man had gone into cardiac arrest. Without hesitation, he initiated resuscitation procedures while his wife dialed 911. He continued performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when the paramedics arrived on the scene. The paramedics, appreciative of the skilled anesthesiologist on-site, promptly set up their airway management tools.
“One paramedic continued chest compressions as I intubated his airway and administered oxygen through an AMBU bag,” Dr. Paul DeLeeuw recounts. “I suggested, ‘Let’s administer a defibrillation shock,’ and so we did. Miraculously, the man’s heart regained its rhythm. I called for IV lidocaine, and as the man started to regain consciousness, we quickly transported him to the hospital.”
Driven by genuine concern for the man’s recovery, Dr. Paul DeLeeuw took the initiative to discover which hospital the man was taken to and decided to pay him a visit the following day. To his immense relief, the elderly patient was sitting up in bed, alert, and breathing with the assistance of nasal oxygen. The younger man from that fateful night was also present and introduced himself as the patient’s son.
This extraordinary turn of events left Dr. DeLeeuw grappling with a profound sense of moral conflict. The hypothetical scenario he had once chuckled about became a stark reality, forcing him to confront the ethical principles that form the foundation of his medical practice. The question of whether he would save a personal injury lawyer had transformed into a tangible test of his commitment to the Hippocratic Oath and his role as a healer.
In retrospect, Dr. Paul DeLeeuw’s experience underscores the complexity of ethical decision-making in the medical profession. It serves as a potent reminder that, in moments of crisis, the unwavering commitment to saving lives can transcend all other considerations, even the prospect of future litigation. As a medical practitioner, Dr. DeLeeuw’s journey through this unanticipated moral dilemma exemplifies the profound and intricate interplay between medicine and ethics, where the preservation of life remains the paramount objective, regardless of one’s profession or circumstances.
Ultimately, Dr. Paul DeLeeuw’s remarkable encounter serves as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the medical community, where the moral compass consistently points toward the preservation of life and the unwavering adherence to ethical standards, even in the face of unforeseen challenges. It reaffirms the notion that in the realm of medicine, compassion, and dedication to the well-being of patients transcend all boundaries and expectations, exemplifying the true essence of the Hippocratic Oath that guides healthcare professionals in their noble mission.