California medical authorities have said they will investigate a plastic surgeon who appeared in a video conference during an operation for a traffic violation hearing.
The Sacramento Bee reported that Scott Green appeared in Sacramento High Court on Thursday, who was virtually kept out of an operating room due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He was dressed in surgical scrub with a patient who underwent a procedure just outside the eye; the squeak of medical machinery can be heard in the background.
‘Hello, Mr. Green? Hi. Are you available for trial? Asked a clerk in the courtroom when an officer summoned to appear at the trial raised her eyebrows. “Looks like you’re in an operating room right now?”
“I am, sir,” replied Green. ‘Yes, I’m in an operating room now. Yes, I’m available for trial. Go ahead.”
The clerk reminded Green that the proceedings are in person because there should be traffic hearings available to the public by law, and Green said he understands that. He seems to keep working with his head down as he waits for court commissioner Gary Link to enter the room.
When Link appeared and saw the doctor on screen, the judge hesitated to continue the trial out of concern for the patient’s well-being.
“I have another surgeon here who is doing the surgery with me so I can stand here and allow them to do the surgery as well,” Green said.
The judge said he was not fit to stand trial under the circumstances. He told Green he would rather set a new date for trial “if you are not actively involved or participating in it and addressing the needs of a patient”.
Green apologized.
“Sometimes the operation does not always go like …” he said before the judge interrupted him.
Link said: “It happens. We want to keep people healthy, we want to keep them alive. This is important. ”
The California Medical Council said it would look into the incident, saying it “expects physicians to follow the standard of care when treating their patients”.
A call commenting on Green was not returned.