When a Canadian newcomer to lakeside decided to deal with a flabby belly that he was unable to correct through diet and exercise, he went to a well-known local plastic surgeon to get a tummy tuck.
The procedure, carried out in the surgeon’s private clinic, was a disaster.
The patient suffered complications immediately after surgery. He was kept overnight at the clinic, put to rest uncomfortably on a narrow gurney in a place not equipped with proper hospital beds. The incision did not heal properly and had to be re-stitched to stop recurrent bleeding. Even with that, the original problem was not corrected.
The doctor refused to refund the 40,000-peso bill, but offered to redo the procedure, agreeing to waive his professional fees and charge only costs for materials and medications.
The patient chose to recur to another plastic surgeon instead. And he learned some disturbing information about the perils going under the knife in a private clinic.
As of last year, the Jalisco Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (Coprisjal) prohibited the practice of esthetic and reconstructive surgeries anywhere other than an accredited hospital, and only under the care of a certified plastic surgeon.
Doctors are humans who occasionally fail to heal or save the individuals they treat. But sometimes they commit egregious errors that merit a formal complaint and perhaps punishment for violations of laws designed for patient protection.
Complaints about irregularities in the operation of medical facilities and health services may be registered with Coprisjal. The agency will investigate the situation and implement disciplinary action if so required.
Its Guadalajara headquarters is located at Avenida Lázaro Cárdenas 3540 in Colonia Jardines de los Arcos. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The telephone number is 01 (33) 3030-5700, extensions 35001, 35002 and 35014. Emails may be sent to director Dagoberto García Mejía at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The Comisión de Arbitraje Médico del Estado de Jalisco (Camejal) handles the arbitration of malpractice claims. The office address is Carlos F. de Landeros 163, Colonia Ladrón de Guevara, telephone 01 (33) 3616-1801, open weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Camejal staff receive complaints and arrange for conciliation sessions between the patient and the doctor in question. The settlement process may take an average of three to six months.
If the patient does not accept the terms, the alternate recourse is to hire a lawyer to file a civil suit against the doctor, commonly a lengthy and high-cost path.