This is a story I’ve been following for some time. Yes, it’s taking place in my city, but it also affects me because I do live with Epilepsy and I’m very involved in the Epilepsy world. It’s unfolding and I just can’t get it out of my head!

An Oakwood Hospital pediatric neurologist has allegedly been diagnosing children, hundreds of them, with Epilepsy…FOR CASH. And these kids do not have Epilepsy. Reporters at the Detroit Free Press have been on the story for some time.

Detroit Free Press article, June 15, 2010

Detroit Free Press article, June 15, 2010

A quick disclaimer-just in case you are wondering…I have never been treated at Oakwood Hospital. I am a patient of a neurology group that specializes in Epilepsy at the Detroit Medical Center, Harper Hospital.

This neurologist, Dr. Yasser Awaad, is suspected of advising parents to NOT have more children, because they could be born with Epilepsy. He also allegedly treated and medicated children over the course of several years, and these were children who did not suffer from Epilepsy.

Why do it? Well…dollar signs of course. The reports say Awaad was the highest paid doc at Oakwood for a time, pulling down more than $600,000 each year, and more than half of that was in patient recruiting money. The allegations go on and on…it’s really quite infuriating.

Yes, we can show our frustration and disappointment and frankly disgust at this story, but it also can be a great lesson. Epilepsy is life-altering and incredibly consuming. But it’s also a condition or disease or illness (whichever way you choose to describe it) that takes a lot of patient involvement. In other words, any epileptologist (a neurologist who specializes in Epilepsy, and there are fantastic ones out there) will tell you, if you don’t stay involved in your treatment and your care, you will suffer. The parents that began to suspect this Michigan doctor of falsely diagnosing their kids realized that something wasn’t right. Some even sought second and third opinions. And, good for them! I personally can’t imagine taking some of these big-time, powerful medications if I really didn’t have to!

This is also a lesson to us…we must choose the right doctor if we have Epilepsy. I’m a huge proponent of making sure you are in the care of an epileptologist. They ARE the experts, the researchers, the authorities…or as I like to say…the wizards of Epilepsy care. They know each and every anti-seizure medication inside/out, they don’t just haphazardly prescribe the newest drug on the market. They know how they work and details of the potential side effects.

I brought up some horrible dizziness I was beginning to have with Dr. Shah a few days ago, and he didn’t even let me finish my sentence. ‘Vimpat,’ he said. And, I’ve begun to lose hair again…not as much as I did a few years ago when I tried Depakote and Dilantin. ‘Zinc,’ he said. Take zinc supplements. There’s an incredible amount of trust and confidence when you are under the care of someone who makes caring for those with Epilepsy, his life.

I had to tsk, tsk and shake my head at the comment released by the hospital in response to the story of Dr. Awaad…

“We have no reason to believe Dr. Awaad’s care and treatment resulted in any harm or injury during his tenure with Oakwood,” the statement said. “The diagnosis and treatment of seizure disorders for each patient is based on an individualized basis and we intend to vigorously defend any cases that may result from these claims. We are committed to providing the best care to our patients.”