Beebe Medical Center is determined to survive

The following timeline information comes from a statement prepared by Beebe Medical Center about Dr. Earl Bradley and an interview related to this statement. The full text of the Beebe Medical Center statement, released Friday, April 16, is available at capegazette.com. The information comes from an internal investigation of Beebe’s files related to Bradley.

1994 – Beebe hires Bradley
Beebe hired Dr. Earl Bradley as a pediatrician in April 1994, after receiving an application in January of the same year. Beebe engaged an independent firm to verify Bradley’s medical credentials and confirmed that he had earned his medical degree from Temple University in Philadelphia in 1983. Pennsylvania’s Board of Medicine confirmed Bradley’s license to practice was in good standing. Beebe also contacted the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners, Frankford Hospital, Parkview Hospital and Rolling Hills Hospital, all in Philadelphia, and found nothing negative about Bradley.

1996 – First Bradley concerns raised
Late in 1996 a nurse employed by Beebe and working with Bradley in his practice brought her supervisor a number of concerns. Those concerns involved Bradley’s interaction with female patients and included questions she had about his using catheterizations to gather urine samples, labial adhesion examinations and the way he had patients undress for examinations. She also questioned what she considered inappropriate comments such as how good a mother looked in a particular dress and how he liked to kiss and hug the kids. The statement said the concerns were taken seriously, several administrators were advised and an investigation initiated.

“The investigation was conducted by the hospital’s lead physician under the state’s peer review law for evaluating the clinical review of medicine,” says the statement. Peer review law sets up procedures for investigating concerns about physicians. Investigations remain confidential unless there is a negative finding.

After a review of the catheterization procedure by three physicians independent of Beebe, and contact with the American Academy of Pediatrics, it was concluded that Bradley’s use of catheters was within the mainstream of current pediatric practices. “It was determined that using catheters is the gold standard for getting an uncontaminated sample,” said Beebe Medical Center President Jeff Fried. He also said the labial adhesion examinations were deemed appropriate and another nurse confirmed, regarding the dressing concerns, that gowns and underpants were normal and routinely used during examinations. Fried said another physician counseled Bradley about comments inappropriate by a professional. Fried said documentation about the incidents, other than the catheterization investigation, isn’t in the record.

“Looking back at those 1996 concerns with our 2009 or 2010 eyes, they look a lot worse than they did when they were investigated,” said Jan McCarty, chairwoman of Beebe’s board of directors. “The nurse who made the complaint never mentioned sexual abuse and there was no sense at the time that was a concern.”

Fried said most nurses who work in doctors’ offices aren’t trained specifically for a practice, so she may not have been aware of what normal procedures are. He agreed, however, that she brought forth the concerns because she sensed something wasn’t right.

1997 – Bradley resigns from Beebe
Following the investigation, in November 1997, Bradley resigned his Beebe employment to take a position with a private practice.

1998 – Bradley threatens to sue Beebe
Bradley threatened to sue Beebe in 1998, alleging his reputation was damaged as a result of the 1996 investigation. He didn’t pursue the suit after Beebe agreed to pay $10,000 in legal expenses he racked up while considering the suit. Beebe also agreed to pay Bradley for time he would put in to help set up a sick child daycare center. The concept never gained traction, according to Fried. Between 1998 and 2002, says the statement, Bradley was twice elected by his peers to serve as chief of pediatrics at Beebe.

2005 – AG subpoenas Bradley records
On April 7, 2005, a Milford Police Department officer delivered a subpoena to Beebe asking for any records of complaints or any disciplinary records regarding Bradley. It was later reported the subpoena pertained to concerns raised about improper behavior by Bradley at a practice he had established in Milford. Beebe referred the request to its attorney. Concerned that releasing the records might violate state peer review statutes prohibiting the release of such information, Beebe, on attorney advice, advised the Attorney General’s Office that it needed clarification of the request or a court order to comply with state law.

Beebe said it received nothing further from the Attorney General’s Office.

“In September 2005,” says the Beebe statement, “Beebe management became aware of rumors that the Delaware Board of Medical Practice was aware of a Pennsylvania investigation dating back to 1994.” Fried said the rumor was brought forward by Dr. James Marvel, who has served at various times on the Delaware medical board. “Our understanding is that the Pennsylvania board dismissed the complaint as an extortion attempt,” said Fried.

The statement adds: “The combination of the Pennsylvania rumor and the nonspecific Delaware subpoena prompted Beebe management to ask Bradley directly whether he was the subject of an investigation. . . . Bradley initially denied than an investigation was in progress but later admitted that he had heard the same rumors. Bradley maintained that the complaint was a personal vendetta and no more substantive than the previous inquiry into his catheterization use. Having no concrete information regarding the nature of the investigation, Beebe’s management made the determination that it was in the best interests of all concerned to impose a chaperone requirement until the investigation was complete. Three weeks later, a Milford police detective notified Beebe that the investigation had been terminated. The chaperone requirement was lifted.”

2008 – Another Bradley complaint surfaces
“During our continuing investigation in 2010,” says the statement, “we first learned that, back in 2008, a Beebe-employed nurse learned of a third-hand account of possible abuse by Bradley. The nurse told the person making the claim how to report the alleged incident to the police for investigation and then followed up with the police to confirm that the report was made and being investigated.”

2009 – Bradley arrested, charged with sexual abuse
In December 2009 Bradley was arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual child abuse. He remains in Delaware prison, unable or unwilling to post a cash bail of more than $3 million.