A “serious conflict”. One month after the suicide of Professor Jean-Louis Megnien, cardiologist at the European Georges-Pompidou Hospital (HEGP), the commission set up by the director of the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) has just returned his first conclusions.
The tragic death of the doctor, who had thrown himself from the 7th floor of the establishment, just a few days after his return from a long sick leave, would be indicative of dysfunctions between doctors, reports AFP.
Professor Megnien said he was the victim of moral harassment on the part of his hierarchy, and several colleagues had alerted management to the state of moral fragility in which the cardiologist found himself. For the 3 members of the commission, the appointment of the head of department, a position sought by the doctor, would have been the subject of an “unusual arrangement”. Conflicts of the same order would have been noted by the authors of this note in other departments of the hospital.
In addition, this drama is revealing, according to the commission, “of statutory and organizational difficulties” and “absence of responsible bodies and procedures adapted to the treatment of conflicts between medical personnel” at the HEGP. Thus, the consequences of the psychological suffering of Professor Megnien would have been neglected within the establishment.
While several doctors questioned the lack of reaction from the administration during this long descent into hell, the commission “sees no argument that would justify the replacement” of the director of the hospital. .
It remains to be seen whether the Paris prosecutor’s office, which has opened a preliminary investigation for moral harassment, will reach the same conclusions.