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A Lloydminster emergency physician faces professional misconduct charges over allegations he directed a crash patient away from the hospital during a computed tomography (CT) service outage.
The patient died while being transported by ambulance to North Battleford.
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Dr. Mukhtar Ali faces two charges laid Sept. 26 in connection with his conduct at Lloydminster Hospital on Nov. 16, 2024, according to a disciplinary charge document from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.
The allegations have not been admitted or proven. They have been referred to the discipline committee, and a hearing is pending.
Ali was an emergency room physician and the hospital’s area department lead for emergency medicine at the time, the document noted.
The first charge alleges that, following a collision involving multiple casualties, Ali told staff Lloydminster Hospital was on bypass or otherwise conveyed that trauma patients should be transported to North Battleford. CT services were unavailable at Lloydminster that day.
Ali allegedly advised, or caused staff to understand, that a patient identified only as R.O. should go to North Battleford rather than Lloydminster. The document said R.O. died during the ambulance trip, but does not allege that Ali caused the death.
The charge alleges Ali failed in his responsibilities as both a physician and department lead by promoting, supporting, or accepting the diversion of trauma patients during CT disruptions.
It said he did so “rather than ensuring such patients were assessed and stabilized in accordance with accepted trauma-care practices and applicable Saskatchewan Health Authority policies.”
The document cites an SHA policy that provided “a disruption to radiography services alone shall not result in an emergency department service disruption.”
It also alleges Ali advocated in discussions and meetings for trauma patients needing CT imaging to be taken directly to facilities with that capability, rather than first being assessed and stabilized at Lloydminster.
The charge further alleges he failed to give physicians and staff clear direction on managing trauma patients during CT outages.
“Your conduct contributed to ongoing uncertainty regarding the assessment, stabilization, and transfer of trauma patients during CT service disruptions,” the document stated.
The second charge concerns Ali’s alleged treatment of a paramedic who brought an injured crash patient to Lloydminster’s emergency department that day.
Ali allegedly expressed frustration that the paramedic, identified as V.S., had brought the patient there. The document describes his manner as “scolding, disrespectful and/or dismissive.”
“You would not listen to V.S. when he attempted to provide a clinical handover summary or report for the patient,” it stated.
Ali also allegedly refused to allow the patient to be moved from the ambulance stretcher to a hospital bed and indicated the paramedic would have to stay and wait to take the patient from the hospital.
The document does not include Ali’s response to either charge. A specific hearing date is still to be determined.
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