Tuesday, August 21, 2018, 10:15 am News Flash Archive

The American College of Surgeons, the most prestigious professional surgical organization in the United States, says that Greenwood surgeon Dr. Alain Domkam is not a member or Fellow of the College, and must stop using the title that indicates that he is.

But this Monday evening, Dr. Domkam told The Taxpayers Channel that he is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Surgeons who are Fellows of the American College of Surgeons may append the title "FACS" to their professional qualifications.

The dispute regarding credentials was discovered by The Taxpayers Channel during an investigation into inaccurate and incomplete information on the Greenwood Leflore Hospital's website (www.glh.org).

While trying to validate some professional credentials displayed on the hospital's website, The Taxpayers Channel discovered that Dr. Domkam's claim to be a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) could not be verified in the on-line database of College members (ACS Member Database).

The information page for Dr. Domkam on the GLH website is shown below, and clearly shows the FACS title appended to his name:

(image captured 8/20/2018)

Furthermore, the FACS title is shown on the clinic sign of the Delta Surgical Clinic where Dr. Domkam practices. The clinic is owned and operated by the Greenwood Leflore Hospital.

(photograph taken 8/20/2018)

The Taxpayers Channel contacted the American College of Surgeons directly, and was informed on three separate occasions that Dr. Domkam is not a member of the College.

The American College of Surgeons requires that all its members be board certified, for example by the American Board of Surgery (ABS). Dr. Domkam is presently board certified as a vascular surgeon by the ABS.

But the College requires additional training, references, experience, and qualifications before a surgeon can be admitted as a member or Fellow of the prestigious College. In addition, the applicants must show that they are practicing in their field of board certification, and submit cases for review by the College.

The Taxpayers Channel was able to validate the FACS credentials for the following physicians practicing in Greenwood:

   Dr. John Lucas III (general surgery)
   Dr. S. R. Evans Jr. (general surgery)
   Dr. George Smith (general surgery)
   Dr. Christopher Capel (general surgery)
   Dr. Raymond Girnys (general surgery)
   Dr. Michael Carter (Otolaryngology)
   Dr. W. Craig Clark (Neurological Surgery)
   Dr. Jimmy Miller (Neurological Surgery)
   Dr. James Hardin (Urological Surgery)
   Dr. James S. Robbins (Urological Surgery)

On August 17, Ms. Deborah Wood, an official at the American College of Surgeons, told The Taxpayers Channel that the College would be informing Dr. Domkam that he must not represent that he is a Fellow of the College, and must remove the FACS title from after his name.

Ms. Wood described the process that has begun, in which the College will provide three consecutive notices by certified mail to Dr. Domkam requesting that he remove the FACS designation from his name. If he does not comply with the College's request, the College will notify the American Board of Surgery and the Mississippi Attorney General "that he is erroneously misrepresenting his affiliation with the College."

Ms. Wood concluded, "rest assured, he will eventually be pulling it down."

For his part, Dr. Domkam insists that he is an FACS. He told The Taxpayers Channel that "this is something we need to be discussing with the hospital... this is something internal. I don't think it is something to be discussed with reporters. I know where this issue is coming [from], I know where it is going. I am well aware of that."

The Taxpayers Channel contacted Dawne Holmes, CFO and acting administrator of the Greenwood Leflore Hospital for comment, but as of publication time, she had not returned calls or replied to an email request for comment.

Holmes has been serving as acting administrator since the Hospital Board summarily fired its CEO, Jim Jackson last March. See Hospital Board fires CEO Jim Jackson.

The Hospital Board recently failed to approve proposals offered by the University of Mississippi Medical Center to provide administration and medical services affiliation, prompting UMMC to withdraw them. See Reports: UMMC withdraws GLH affiliation proposals.

The hospital has been in crisis, losing tens of millions of dollars during the past 3 years, and is on course to lose at least $8 million this year. The State Auditor last year released a report listing GLH as one of several rural hospitals in poor financial condition. See State Auditor rates Greenwood Leflore Hospital POOR in financial strength assessment.

For complete coverage of these and other hospital milestones, please go here: Taxpayers Channel coverage of Greenwood Leflore Hospital's downfall.

John Pittman Hey
The Taxpayers Channel

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