| brent@brenthanson.com 2006-08-31, 2:34 am |
| http://www.lasikinfocenter.net/Webp...s%20Webpage.htm
CRSQA is a referral service for refractive surgeons that masquerades as
a patient advocacy group. It was founded by the non-physician Glenn
Hagele. Despite its pretentious name, CRSQA is just a cynical
marketing ploy that "certifies" refractive surgeons willing to fork
over $7,000 in the first year and $5,000/year thereafter. In exchange,
they receive CRSQA's bogus seal of approval in the hope that it will
help them promote their Lasik practices.
In contrast to CRSQA, the American Board of Ophthalmology is recognized
by the American Board of Medical Specialties and the American Medical
Association, charges only $300 every 10 years for re-certification,
requires ABO-certified ophthalmologists to take periodic exams, and
requires them to obtain a yearly average of 30 Continuing Medical
Education credits.
CRSQA's pitch to prospective members demonstrates its crass commercial
purpose. It justifies its fees by noting that "For most surgeons, that
will total a little less than the amount charged two refractive surgery
patients per year. It is very reasonable to expect that your listing
on our website alone will provide significantly more patients."
CRSQA's quality "standards," if they can be called that, are pathetic.
A doctor can become CRSQA-certified even if he reports a 3% incidence
in his practice of "debilitating refractive surgery complications such
as glare, haze, halo, etc." Indeed, Hagele's primary concern is to
help refractive surgeons market themselves - not to raise their
standards of medical care. Hagele discusses market segmentation
analysis ad nauseam, but there is almost nothing at CRSQA about
concrete measures to improve surgical outcomes.
CRSQA's "certification" is worthless from a medical perspective. For
example, Glenn A. Kawesch, a doctor with a string of medical
malpractice lawsuits against him, was at one time certified by CRSQA as
meeting its quality standards. The infamous Joseph Dello Russo,
another doctor all too familiar with the inside of a courtroom, also
used to be certified by CRSQA. Using CRSQA to find a refractive
surgeon is no better than throwing darts at the yellow pages.
CRSQA even has the audacity to accept patient complaints about
refractive surgeons! If you believe that a CRSQA surgeon has been
negligent, share this information only with your lawyer - not with
CRSQA. CRSQA is not bound by legal or ethical rules on confidentiality
and could potentially turn this information over to your
CRSQA-affiliated surgeon.
Any argument that CRSQA's not-for-profit status confers upon it a
mantle of legitimacy is spurious because Hagele draws an undisclosed
salary as CRSQA's Executive Director. His livelihood is therefore
directly linked to CRSQA's financial success. Remember, not-for-profit
status is easy to get, does not confer legitimacy, and is often used by
sham organizations trying to garner undeserved credibility.
Hagele responds to his critics by trying to bully them into submission.
For example, he recently threatened to publish their social security
numbers and other private information on the Internet. Click here and
here to see Hagele's sordid, puerile, and potentially illegal tactics.
It's hard to believe that any physician would affiliate himself with an
organization run by a person like Hagele, and apparently fewer and
fewer are doing so. As of 7/14/06, only 41 ophthalmologists were
affiliated with CRSQA, out of approximately 17,000 nationwide!Ariel
|