Videoconferencing is the new norm for almost everything that can be dealt with remotely ever since the coronavirus-induced pandemic came into being.?
A Northern California plastic surgeon showed up for his virtual traffic trial via videoconferencing and surprised a Sacramento judge by going live from his operating room.?
Dr Scott Green appeared before Sacramento Superior Court Commissioner Gary Link's virtual courtroom at Carol Miller Justice Center wearing his surgical scrubs and surrounded by noise of medical machinery.?
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The patient undergoing the procedure? was just out of view.
¡°Hello, Mr. Green? Are you available for trial?¡± asked a courtroom clerk. ¡°It kind of looks like you¡¯re in an operating room right now?¡±
¡°I am, sir,¡± Green replied. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m in an operating room right now. I¡¯m available for trial. Go right ahead.¡±
Since traffic trials are required by law to be open to the public, the proceedings are livestreamed and posted to YouTube because of limited access to courtrooms due to the ongoing pandemic.?
Dr Green wasn't distracted at all as he continued his work but the commissioner wasn't amused with the situation.?
¡°So unless I¡¯m mistaken, I¡¯m seeing a defendant that¡¯s in the middle of an operating room appearing to be actively engaged in providing services to a patient. Is that correct, Mr. Green? Or should I say Dr. Green?¡± Link asked.
¡°I do not feel comfortable for the welfare of a patient if you¡¯re in the process of operating that I would put on a trial notwithstanding the fact the officer is here today,¡± the commissioner said.
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Dr Green assured the commissioner that another surgeon was working beside him.?
He said, ¡°I have another surgeon right here who¡¯s doing the surgery with me, so I can stand here and allow them to do the surgery also."
¡°I don¡¯t think so. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s appropriate,¡± Link said. ¡°I¡¯m going to come up with a different date ¡ª when you¡¯re not actively involved or participating and attending to the needs of a patient. Let me see if I can get a different date here.¡±
The doctor apologised to the commissioner. He said,?¡°I apologise, Your Honour, to the court. Sometimes, surgery doesn¡¯t always go as¡ª¡±
Link interrupted: ¡°It happens. We want to keep people healthy, we want to keep them alive. That¡¯s important.¡±
¡°I¡¯m concerned about the welfare of the patient based on what I¡¯m seeing,¡± the commissioner said, before assigning Green a new court date. ¡°Is that going to make your calendar, I hope?¡±
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The Medical Board of California said it would look into the incident saying it ¡°expects physicians to follow the standard of care when treating their patients.¡±