680NEWS

SASKATOON - A Saskatchewan radiologist whose work has sparked a review of 70,000 exams is not competent, says the group responsible for overseeing doctors in the province.

A three-member panel with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan made the finding at a hearing Friday after looking into the work of Dr. Darius Tsatsi.

"We now have the conclusion that Dr. Tsatsi lacks skills and knowledge and it'll be the council (that governs the college) who will then make the decision (about) what implications (that will have) for his licence," said college lawyer Bryan Salte.

Members at the hearing were presented with a competency report that detailed concerns about Tsatsi's interpretation of X-rays, CT scans, mammography and ultrasound tests.

Questions about Tsatsi's work first surfaced when another doctor raised concerns at the end of 2005. There was a review in 2006 and a competency committee with the college later found that Tsatsi lacked skills and knowledge in certain specific areas.

Over the next two years, Tsatsi upgraded his skills. But the college wasn't satisfied that his "deficiencies in knowledge and skills had been satisfactorily remediated," according to the college's website. Tsatsi failed two exams.

An initial audit of 103 of his cases during a second competency investigation in 2008 resulted in the college calling for a larger review of all his work since he started practising in Saskatchewan in 2004.

The Sunrise Health Region, which employed Tsatsi at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre, said most of the exams interpreted were not of concern, but it was felt there were enough differences in opinion of the clinical interpretations to warrant action.

The review of the 70,000 exams, which began in May, is not yet complete.

Tsasti, who has been a doctor for more than 26 years, voluntarily stopped practising pending the outcome of the hearing.

He could not be reached for comment Friday. However, at a news conference in July, Tsatsi defended his reputation and claimed the college has a bias against him. He said that the college, the Ministry of Health and the regional authorities had "misinterpreted the facts" and "misled the public" about his work and qualifications.

Salte also said Tsatsi did not appear at the hearing Friday, but a lawyer spoke on his behalf.

"What Dr. Tsati's council said to the committee was that while Dr. Tsatsi doesn't agree with the committee's report and doesn't think the committee's report is accurate, he also wasn't prepared to challenge it by leading evidence to contradict it."

Salte said the council will decide Tsatsi's fate Nov. 20.

"They will have a variety of options to choose from which would include revocation of his licence, which would include requiring him to work under supervision, which would include requiring him to take certain forms of training," said Salte.

"That will be the decision that the council will have to make."