East Grampians Health Service to audit third party contractors after Bendigo Radiology diagnosis failure

A rural hospital in the state’s west will conduct a review of its contractors after multiple radiologists failed to diagnose a patient’s cancer.

East Grampians Health Service in Ararat. Photo: Facebook

A regional hospital will conduct an audit of its contractors after three radiologists failed to diagnose cancer which was later found in a patient.

Documents signed by East Grampians Health Service chief executive Nick Bush and sent to west Victorian sheep farmer Max Brown show that Mr Brown’s wife received care at EGHS in Ararat between 2020 and 2023.

Mr Brown filed a complaint with the service in August this year over three thyroid ultrasounds which three radiologists from contractor Bendigo Radiology reviewed without identifying thyroid cancer.

The Browns then sought genetic testing in the US and Mrs Brown later had her thyroid removed.

Cancer was then identified in the removed thyroid - two types, according to Mr Brown - and Mrs Brown is now continually monitored in case the cancer has spread.

East Grampians Health Service then had an independent radiologist review the earlier ultrasounds.

That radiologist concluded that the ultrasounds were “sufficiently abnormal to have triggered further investigation”, documents said.

Sheep farmer Max Brown.

Mr Brown said the situation was distressing and had affected his whole family.

“One radiologist getting it wrong, you’d be saying ‘It’s no good, but it happens. Move on’,” he said.

“Three getting it wrong and you’d really want to know what was going on.

“We only unwound that process because we had to go America for an opinion.”

“It’s a situation that no partner should be put in ... to try to keep their wife alive.

“We’ve lost faith in the health system in Australia.”

The EGHS documents said additionally that Mr Brown was of the opinion “the radiologists’ indemnity insurer had taken control of the opinions written over the three-year period” as a cover-up.

East Grampians Health Service apologised over the phone to Mr Brown, had a meeting with the relevant parties, and committed to a review of other thyroid ultrasounds done by EGHS and reviewed by Bendigo Radiology.

“The event has been considered a serious adverse patient safety event (SAPSE) because it has caused [the patient] distress,” documents said.

“ … On behalf of East Grampians Health Service, I would like to sincerely apologise that this has happened and for any harm or distress that this may have caused you and your family.

“We are committed to learning from this experience to improve the quality of care we provide to our community.”

Mrs Brown is now regularly monitored in case of the cancer’s spread.

By the end of the year, the health service will introduce quarterly performance meetings with its third party clinical service providers, undertake a review of those providers, and incorporate clinical governance indicators into its contract with Bendigo Radiology.

An independent “look back” at a sample of thyroid ultrasounds read by Bendigo Radiology is expected to be completed this month.

Mr Bush said that Bendigo Radiology had been involved with East Grampians Health Service for 12 years and other patients should not feel concerned.

He said he would wait for the reviews to be completed before commenting about Mr Brown’s specific situation.

Bendigo Radiology was contacted for comment.