Cardiologist at heart of TAVR controversy loses hospital privileges due to ‘disruptive,’ ‘inexplicable’ behavior
Interventional cardiologist Dinar Shukla, MD, has lost his bid to return to work at Health Sciences North, an academic hospital in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, after an appeals board ruled that his behavior was “disruptive” and “inexplicable.” The board’s final decision is now available in full, providing a detailed look at a controversy that went on for several years.
CTV News reported on the appeal board’s decision first, noting that things began in 2014, when Shukla helped develop the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) program at Health Sciences North (HSN).
Almost immediately, Shukla began having regular problems with his fellow cardiologists. This would eventually lead to another physician being put in charge of the hospital’s TAVR team. The choice led to a schism of sorts in the hospital’s cardiology department; doctors on Shukla’s side vs. doctors who were not on his side. As detailed in the board's decision, the doctors who supported Shukla referred to themselves as “Concerned Cardiologists.”
Issues at the hospital continued to get worse and worse as time went on. Shukla accused one colleague of performing a TAVR procedure without the required oversight, for instance, though other members of the TAVR team said this was not true. Shukla also said he had to step up and “save” a patient due to complications other cardiologists could not address—that claim was also refuted by his colleagues as well,
As more and more problems emerged, Shukla eventually had his appointment and privileges revoked by the hospital. The hospital then opted not to renew those privileges in 2020 or 2021. Shukla appealed these decisions, but the board has ultimately denied that appeal.
“The appeal board finds on the balance of probabilities that Dr. Shukla has failed to meet the standards of behavior established by HSN and the evidence has established that Dr. Shukla’s lack of insight, lack of judgement and inability to work within the team concept required raised a legitimate concern with respect to patient safety,” according to the board’s final decision, dated Feb. 26, 2024.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.