The Tri-Service General Hospital yesterday issued an apology over a controversial video shot by the hospital’s plastic surgeons that featured sarcastic comments overlaying footage of private cosmetic surgeries.
“Our plastic surgery team made the video at the end of 2013 in the hope of walking their colleagues through the dedication they had to their job and the hardship they had endured over the past year. They only meant to entertain themselves and encourage one another,” the hospital said in a statement.
The hospital said all the content of the video was personally designed by the team and the people featured in the film were all played by the team members.
“No intentional violation of others’ privacy was involved ... but we are deeply sorry for the misunderstanding and trouble caused by this video,” it added.
Tri-Service, a teaching hospital under the jurisdiction of the National Defense Medical Center, was referring to a video featuring photographs and video footage of patients undergoing surgery, some of whom seemed to have burn wounds and others who appeared to be receiving liposuction.
The film was accompanied by a quick-tempo song along with subtitles clearly meant to provoke laughter, such as: “Up and down and left and right, follow me to suck out all the fat” and “Sustained 1,500 percent burns, let’s make skin grafts over the entire body.”
It was quickly pulled down from YouTube by the hospital amid an outpouring of criticism.
Despite the hospital’s attempt to assuage public fury over the film’s apparent invasion of patients’ privacy, the Taipei City Government’s Department of Health yesterday launched an administrative investigation into the matter.
“The film reportedly featured several pictures of patients undergoing surgeries. Posting it on YouTube constituted disclosure of patient information and a violation of the Medical Care Act (醫療法),” the department said, adding that the incident would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Article 72 of the act prohibits medical institutions and their staff from disclosing without cause any information regarding patients’ medical details. Violation of the law is subject to a fine ranging from NT$50,000 to NT$250,000 (US$1,605 to US$8,025).
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