Two Montreal anesthesiologists suspended for questionable practices: College of Physicians

The Royal Victoria Hospital is shown at the new MUHC super hospital is shown in Montreal on April 26, 2015. (Graham Hughes / The Canadian Press)

Two anesthesiologists at Montreal’s Royal Victoria Hospital were brought before the Quebec College of Physicians disciplinary board for questionable practices and were suspended.

Two others from the same department are scheduled to appear before the board next year.

Dr. Thomas Schricker, who is head of the department, and Dr. Ralph Bernd Lattermann are accused of various infractions, including giving prescriptions without meeting the patient, providing inadequate follow ups and leaving pre-anesthetic evaluations blank.

Schrickner pleaded guilty in November to failing “to practice his profession in accordance with the rules of the profession,” according to the ruling from the disciplinary board.

He failed to perform a complete and sufficient pre-anesthetic assessment prior to a surgery and signed off on multiple files without having met the patient, according to the college’s disciplinary report.

A similar story is found for Lattermann, who pleaded guilty to giving a patient a fentanyl prescription and discharged him without having met the patient.

In addition, Lattermann also left the pre-anesthetic evaluation blank, according to the college’s disciplinary report.

“With regard to the objective seriousness of the infraction committed by the respondent, the complainant, that prescriptions issued by a physician without meeting the patient, or conducting a certain examination, are of serious gravity, since the possibility of misuse is very great and the protection of the public is put at risk,” the report reads.

Schrickner was suspended for three months and Lattermann for one month.

Dr. Caroline Goyer and Dr. Thierry Daloze are scheduled to appear before the disciplinary board in 2025.

The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) oversees the hospital and said in a statement that it cannot share detailed information to respect confidentiality.

“As always, the MUHC follows the procedures established by the MSSS and Santé Québec for managing complaints,” media relations advisor Annie-Claire Fournier said. “The team remains committed to its mission of providing safe, high-quality care to all patients.”