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Coronary: A True Story of Medicine Gone Awry
A chilling real-life medical thriller, Coronary chronicles the story of two highly respected heart doctors who violated the most sacred principle of their First, do no harm. In the summer of 2002, fifty-five-year-old John Corapi, a Catholic priest with a colorful background, visited Dr. Chae Hyun Moon, a celebrated cardiologist in Redding, California. Corapi had been suffering from exhaustion and shortness of breath, and although a physical examination and a conventional stress test revealed nothing abnormal, Moon insisted that the calcium level in Corapi's coronary arteries called for a highly invasive diagnostic an angiogram. A chain-smoking Korean immigrant known for his gruff bedside manner, Moon performed the procedure briskly and immediately handed down a devastating "I'm sorry; there is nothing I can do for you. You need a triple bypass tomorrow morning." He then abruptly left the room. Several hours later, however, Moon inexplicably decided the surgery could wait until Corapi returned from a previously scheduled cross-country trip. Unnerved by the dire diagnosis and also by Moon's inconsistent statements, Corapi sought other opinions. To his amazement, a second, third, and fourth doctor found that his heart was perfectly healthy. In fact, for a man his age, Corapi's arteries were remarkably free of disease. Sensing a cause more disturbing than human error, Corapi took his story to the FBI. As local agent Mike Skeen soon discovered, Corapi was one of a number of people who had suspicions about Moon and Moon's go-to cardiac surgeon, Dr. Fidel Realyvasquez, an equally respected member of the close-knit northern California community. Working at a hospital owned by Tenet Healthcare, Moon would make the diagnoses and Realyvasquez would perform the surgeries. Together, these leaders of the Redding medical establishment put hundreds of healthy people at risk, some of whom never recovered. Soon Skeen launched a major investigation, interviewing numerous doctors and patients, and forty federal agents raided the hospital where the doctors worked. A timely and provocative dissection of America's medical-industrial complex, Coronary lays bare the financial structures that drive the American healthcare system, and which precipitated Moon's and Realyvasquez's actions. In a scheme that placed the demands of Wall Street above the lives of its patients, Tenet Healthcare rewarded doctors based on how much revenue they generated for the corporation. A meticulous three-year FBI investigation and hundreds of civil suits culminated in no criminal charges but a series of settlements with Tenet Healthcare and the doctors that totaled more than $450 million and likely put an end to Moon's and Realyvasquez's medical careers. The case's every twist and turn is documented here. A riveting, character-rich narrative and a masterpiece of long-form journalism, Coronary is as powerful as it is alarming. This is a hair-raising story of the hundreds of men and women who went under the knife, not in the name of medicine, but of profit and prestige. Brilliantly told, Stephen Klaidman's Coronary is a cautionary tale in the age of miracle medicine, and a shocking reminder to always get a second opinion.
- GenresMedicineNonfiction
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 18, 2023
Coronary is an eye-popping true story that I would recommend for anyone and everyone. Over 1,000 people had unnecessary bypass surgeries when a greedy invasive cardiologist altered the results of angiograms and referred those patients to an equally greedy cardiovascular surgeon. Dr. Chae Hyun Moon practiced alongside his cohort, the cardiovascular surgeon, Dr. Fidel Realyvasquez. Their patients weren't given the time to question the grim findings or get second opinions. They were often told that they had the coronary occlusion called "The widow maker" and needed to act fast. Tenet hospital in Redding California rewarded the doctors who performed the greatest number of procedures, no questions asked. There were codes of silence. (These are becoming all too familiar). The folks in Redding California knew that something wasn't right. The word on the streets was, "Don't have an accident in front of the hospital or you'll come out with a zipper in your chest." Klaidman's book will always make us wonder whether or not we need the proposed complex invasive treatment. These two immoral doctors were finally caught when the whistle was blown by a priest who couldn't be disuaded from getting a second opinion.
The hospital paid a $395 million dollar lawsuite, and Moon and Realyvasquez lost their licenses. Perhaps the most shocking fact of the matter was that after a brief time, the golden boys of Tenet hospital had their licenses reinstated, and just may be still practicing in Redding California.
“Caveat Emptor”
The hospital paid a $395 million dollar lawsuite, and Moon and Realyvasquez lost their licenses. Perhaps the most shocking fact of the matter was that after a brief time, the golden boys of Tenet hospital had their licenses reinstated, and just may be still practicing in Redding California.
“Caveat Emptor”
January 4, 2021
As soon as I read it was a real life medical thriller I was intrigued to read it. This is the level of true crime that interest me. The books details the case very closley and it's very readable text. Never stops being interesting and there is a lot of information to take in. Highly recommend
August 19, 2007
the first 50 pages are a bit slow, but then the pace picks up as one learns that over 1000 people in Redding CA had unneeded triple/quadruple bypass surgery because of the greed of a few doctors and a hospital chain.
The people in this small town at some level knew that something was amiss.
They told each other a number of jokes like:
"Don't have an accident in front of the hospital or you'll come out with a zipper in your chest."
But they were proud of the fact that their hospital was considered a major cardiac center, and that it created so many jobs.
This pride and greed caused them to not look too closely at what was really going on.
Several people died as a result of this unneeded surgery, but no one went to prison for it.
An interesting mix of whistleblowing, investigation, medicine and law.
Naturally the lawyers made several hundred million $ or so.
And for not much work, because no cases went to trial,
it was all settled over the phone or a cup of coffee.
The people in this small town at some level knew that something was amiss.
They told each other a number of jokes like:
"Don't have an accident in front of the hospital or you'll come out with a zipper in your chest."
But they were proud of the fact that their hospital was considered a major cardiac center, and that it created so many jobs.
This pride and greed caused them to not look too closely at what was really going on.
Several people died as a result of this unneeded surgery, but no one went to prison for it.
An interesting mix of whistleblowing, investigation, medicine and law.
Naturally the lawyers made several hundred million $ or so.
And for not much work, because no cases went to trial,
it was all settled over the phone or a cup of coffee.
May 25, 2020
One of the worst violations of medical ethics in the last twenty years occurred in 2002 at a hospital in California. Two doctors -- one a cardiologist who did the angiograms and other testing and referrals to surgery and a cardiac surgeon were doing bypass surgery on patients who did not need it. Some had complications; some died. Klaidman's book tells the story of this sordid case that reveals in detail the problems still haunting American medicine.
Although the evidence was overwhelming, many physicians were reluctant to testify against other physicians, and a few even defended them. The company that owned the hospital, which had put pressure on the doctors to gain more cardiac cases for money, paid out around $500,000,000 in fines, which it was allowed to do in increments. The doctors were never prosecuted, and while the cardiologist lost his license, the cardiac surgeon did not. Luckily he did not want to continue practicing medicine anyway. Justice was not done despite a major FBI raid and investigation. The U.S. Attorney did not prosecute the case because of the difficulty of proving conspiracy, but indictments may have been an incentive for other doctors to come forth and testify. The hospital had earlier kept its accredited status despite a known lack of peer review of its heart procedures because the agency that accredits hospitals teaches them, for a fee, how to pass their inspections.
This is a story of failed justice, of moral cowardliness, of moral courage shown by a few good people, and of the failure of American doctors to police themselves. Doctors, like other professionals such as lawyers, police themselves since they have the technical knowledge to make good judgments. However, there is a "thin white line" which forbids doctors to turn in other doctors. If the medical profession cannot police itself, what recourse to patients have to trust their physicians?
This book would be a valuable supplemental text to medical ethics courses and is worth reading by the general public as well. I highly recommend it.
Although the evidence was overwhelming, many physicians were reluctant to testify against other physicians, and a few even defended them. The company that owned the hospital, which had put pressure on the doctors to gain more cardiac cases for money, paid out around $500,000,000 in fines, which it was allowed to do in increments. The doctors were never prosecuted, and while the cardiologist lost his license, the cardiac surgeon did not. Luckily he did not want to continue practicing medicine anyway. Justice was not done despite a major FBI raid and investigation. The U.S. Attorney did not prosecute the case because of the difficulty of proving conspiracy, but indictments may have been an incentive for other doctors to come forth and testify. The hospital had earlier kept its accredited status despite a known lack of peer review of its heart procedures because the agency that accredits hospitals teaches them, for a fee, how to pass their inspections.
This is a story of failed justice, of moral cowardliness, of moral courage shown by a few good people, and of the failure of American doctors to police themselves. Doctors, like other professionals such as lawyers, police themselves since they have the technical knowledge to make good judgments. However, there is a "thin white line" which forbids doctors to turn in other doctors. If the medical profession cannot police itself, what recourse to patients have to trust their physicians?
This book would be a valuable supplemental text to medical ethics courses and is worth reading by the general public as well. I highly recommend it.
December 19, 2017
A thoroughly-told tale hindered by surprisingly awkward writing from "a former editor and reporter for the New York Times, Washington Post, and International Herald Tribune." Here is an excerpt from the chapter describing Redding:
"Heading toward Oregon you had to drive more than 120 miles, past Yreka, where Dugan Barr, the city's best-known personal-injury lawyer grew up, and across the state line to get to the next town with a population over 5,000."
(In addition to the clunky asides, the sentence is factually wrong: both Yreka and the City of Shasta Lake have populations in excess of 5,000 and lie between Redding and the Oregon border.)
"Heading toward Oregon you had to drive more than 120 miles, past Yreka, where Dugan Barr, the city's best-known personal-injury lawyer grew up, and across the state line to get to the next town with a population over 5,000."
(In addition to the clunky asides, the sentence is factually wrong: both Yreka and the City of Shasta Lake have populations in excess of 5,000 and lie between Redding and the Oregon border.)
February 10, 2021
I had this book on my shelf for a few years before I finally cracked it open to read. I really enjoyed it. Extremely well written: thorough and detailed. It is definitely long-form journalism in my opinion. There is a strong narrative but it reads more like a documentary than a narrative. And the final outcome for me was disappointing but that is certainly not the authors fault :)
November 27, 2023
Very interesting, especially as I live in Redding, Ca, and worked in healthcare while I read it. I found it very credible, but as some of the doctors in town have pointed out, there are other sides to the story
August 14, 2018
An account of the Tenet/Redding Medical Center alleged fraud in the cardiology and cardiac surgery departments. What happens when business and dollars take over in place of top patient care.
June 16, 2019
Meticulously reported and harrowing! True story of an FBI investigation revealing hundreds of unnecessary open-heart surgeries and thousands of angiograms, etc. given solely for profit. Yikes!
July 14, 2024
A well documented reporting of a true story.
Although the events took place more than 25 years ago,
the medical message remains the same:
Always get a second opinion!
Although the events took place more than 25 years ago,
the medical message remains the same:
Always get a second opinion!
September 9, 2013
Dr. Chae Hyun Moon (a self pronounced top 10 best cardiologist in the world) and Korean chain smoker with gruff bedside manner practiced alongside his parter Dr. Fidel Realyvasquez (Thoracic Surgeon) for Tenet Healthcare in the close-knit town of Redding California. These two Doctors (Moon doing the Catherizations and Realyvasquez doing the bipass surgeries, valve replacements, and stents) were putting up numbers that Michael Jordan and Barry Bonds could hardly dream of...4-5 times that of other well known and busy cardiology centers. Well respected, intimidating, and ruthlessly aggresive these two doctors were the Rain Makers of the small community of Redding..creating hundrends of jobs, generous to those in the community, and at the same time boasting they did a triple by pass on 28 YO man. It was common knowledge in the community that if you came into the ED with indigestion in Redding you got a zipper up your chest and a stent in your heart.
In 2002 a Priest named Corapi visited Moon with shortness of breath (although a stress test revealed nothing) Moon performed a brisk Catheritization and insisted that Corapi had a blocked coronary artery (or widow maker) has they like to call them and insited he needed immediate bypass surgery or he would die. Corapi resisted which is very difficult (as Moon often told patients its your choice if you want to die) signed out against medical orders in the hospital and went back to San Francisco to get a second and third read of his ultrasound by additional cardiologist. These doctors were stunned to find that the heart was completely healthy and astounded that any doctor was recommending bipassing this patient. Corapi eventually went to Mike Skeen (FBI) and found over 500 cases of malpractice, overtreatment by Moon and Realyvasquez many that ended in death or permanent disability.
4 stars. A scary and amazing story of money driving medicine and all things going terribly awry. How can this happen. Why did it take so long for the State of California recognize that their numbers were so unusual even though their mortality results for open heart surgery were astounding (less than 2%..because Moon and Realyvasquez were operating on healthy patients). Why was the community of other doctors nurses so intimidated?
In 2002 a Priest named Corapi visited Moon with shortness of breath (although a stress test revealed nothing) Moon performed a brisk Catheritization and insisted that Corapi had a blocked coronary artery (or widow maker) has they like to call them and insited he needed immediate bypass surgery or he would die. Corapi resisted which is very difficult (as Moon often told patients its your choice if you want to die) signed out against medical orders in the hospital and went back to San Francisco to get a second and third read of his ultrasound by additional cardiologist. These doctors were stunned to find that the heart was completely healthy and astounded that any doctor was recommending bipassing this patient. Corapi eventually went to Mike Skeen (FBI) and found over 500 cases of malpractice, overtreatment by Moon and Realyvasquez many that ended in death or permanent disability.
4 stars. A scary and amazing story of money driving medicine and all things going terribly awry. How can this happen. Why did it take so long for the State of California recognize that their numbers were so unusual even though their mortality results for open heart surgery were astounding (less than 2%..because Moon and Realyvasquez were operating on healthy patients). Why was the community of other doctors nurses so intimidated?
February 25, 2012
Appalling would have been a more appropriate name for this book; appalling that these actions occurred in this current era of medicine and regulatory compliance. Every new twist in this well-chronicled story can be described as appalling.
The reader is drawn to the charm of Redding, California, but then the evident ethical disconnects of the townsfolk become apparent. As the story implies, the fact that something was not quite right at Redding Medical Center was well known in the community, yet it was spoken of only in whispers and never with any conviction. Because Dr. Moon and Dr. Realyvasquez were revered in the community, one can only wonder whether the townsfolk were devoid of ethics and chose to ignore the whispers or whether their loyalty to their neighbors blinded them to the truth. Or, perhaps, as one Redding resident wrote in a review of this book, "We felt pretty powerless to stop a huge corporation and its power-hungry minions."
Even more inexcusable than the act of fraud by Moon and RV is Tenet's apparent disregard for the practice, all in the name of profit. What principles did corporate executives lack that they allowed these things to happen and to continue without any intervention. This question becomes more significant when we consider that, in addition to settling this lawsuit for $54M, Tenet settled claims in January and July 2006 worth $215M and $900M, respectively.
This is a well-researched and well-narrated book that exposes the reader to the realities of healthcare. Those of us who work in healthcare and believe in its merits cannot deny that fraud and abuse occur. We, as healthcare workers, have a duty to our patients, employers, and community to recognize and report these practices.
The reader is drawn to the charm of Redding, California, but then the evident ethical disconnects of the townsfolk become apparent. As the story implies, the fact that something was not quite right at Redding Medical Center was well known in the community, yet it was spoken of only in whispers and never with any conviction. Because Dr. Moon and Dr. Realyvasquez were revered in the community, one can only wonder whether the townsfolk were devoid of ethics and chose to ignore the whispers or whether their loyalty to their neighbors blinded them to the truth. Or, perhaps, as one Redding resident wrote in a review of this book, "We felt pretty powerless to stop a huge corporation and its power-hungry minions."
Even more inexcusable than the act of fraud by Moon and RV is Tenet's apparent disregard for the practice, all in the name of profit. What principles did corporate executives lack that they allowed these things to happen and to continue without any intervention. This question becomes more significant when we consider that, in addition to settling this lawsuit for $54M, Tenet settled claims in January and July 2006 worth $215M and $900M, respectively.
This is a well-researched and well-narrated book that exposes the reader to the realities of healthcare. Those of us who work in healthcare and believe in its merits cannot deny that fraud and abuse occur. We, as healthcare workers, have a duty to our patients, employers, and community to recognize and report these practices.
October 16, 2015
The writing style presented in this book is similar to an extended newspaper story---just the facts as best they can be ascertained. It is the true story of a prominent health care conglomerate that has jurisdiction over a California hospital wherein several physicians are accused of diagnosing and scheduling surgery for heart problems that either do not exist or are not as serious as the patient is told. Huge amounts of money and reputation are at stake. The health care organization condones the decisions by the physicians presumably because it means more money for the company and the physicians get the reputation of being world class heart diagnosticians and surgeons. The symbiosis begins to unravel when patients and lawyers start to raise questions. Most of the book centers around the legal attempts on behalf of the physicians, the health care organization and the aggrieved patients to tell their side of the story. Legal suits and countersuits are described in detail. It is fascinating to see how the legal process works (and doesn't work) but beyond that it is difficult to maintain interest in the rest of the story.
May 22, 2012
Coronary is the story of how one of the largest for profit hospitals was essentially brought down by Father Corapi, a well-known Catholic Priest.
I read about this book while reading an article on Father Corapi's life post-priesthood (he left the ministry a few years ago). It sounded interesting so I picked it up at the library.
The book is very well-written, and Klaidman goes into a lot of detail. Sometimes it felt like too much, and I got bored. However, overall it is an interesting look at a very public case as well as how medical professionals view patients and colleagues. I definitely recommend it, but be prepared for the parts that are heavy on medical terms. I had to look up more than a few words while reading.
I read about this book while reading an article on Father Corapi's life post-priesthood (he left the ministry a few years ago). It sounded interesting so I picked it up at the library.
The book is very well-written, and Klaidman goes into a lot of detail. Sometimes it felt like too much, and I got bored. However, overall it is an interesting look at a very public case as well as how medical professionals view patients and colleagues. I definitely recommend it, but be prepared for the parts that are heavy on medical terms. I had to look up more than a few words while reading.
November 30, 2013
A fairly small hospital in a small city in Colorado became world famous for it's exemplary cardiac program. It's easy to have an exceptionally high percentage of positive outcomes on cardiac surgeries when they're done on perfectly healthy patients. This book is about the people who were perfectly healthy when they went to the emergency room for an ailment, ended up having heart surgery, and the surgeries were not successful. They ended up taking out a class action suit against the hospital. As someone who, for the first time in their life, has had some experience with hospitals over the last few years, I was not shocked by what I read in this book. Scary stuff.
January 1, 2010
This book tells the true story of Tenet Healthcare's strategy of maximizing corporate profits by performing unneccessary cardiac surgeries at Redding Medical Center.The author does an excellent job at setting the cultural and economic milieu that allows the community of Redding to believe they have a "state of the art" cardiac surgery center in the hinterlands of Northern California that outperforms in volume and outcomes anything else in the state. Its a scary story, of corporate greed on the scale of some made up Hollywood thriller; be afraid, be very afraid.
September 5, 2013
A remarkable story about the greed of hospital corporations, the arrogance and power of a few cardiogists, and one patient and one doctor who stood up to them and brought the practices to an end. The plot lines don't always end in a tidy fashion. Clearly the FBI agent who finally effected a change in these practices would have liked there to have been criminal prosecutions; that seems to be the author's bias as well. In real life people cut deals and compromise. The end game was facinating, but not morally satisfying.
July 19, 2014
This novel is a dissection of America's medical-industrial complex, laying bare the financial structures that drive the American healthcare system. In a scheme that placed the demands of Wall Street above the lives of its patients, Tenet Healthcare rewarded doctors based on how much revenue they generated for the corporation. A three-year FBI investigation and hundreds of civil suits culminated in no criminal charges but a series of settlements with Tenet Healthcare and the doctors that totaled more than $450 million. Very interesting.
July 15, 2008
The reason why doctors and lawyers are so rich...innocent, uninformed people putting trust in their doctors and being taken advantage of as a result. The end result....lots of lawsuits. Interesting story and leads me to further belive socialized health care would prevent this kind of thing from happening.
January 18, 2009
I like books about the medical profession because I feel like I am a part of it, mostly by association. However, I felt like this book was very one-sided. Yes, the doctors performed unnecessary surgeries, but I don't think the author did a very good job of looking at the situation from the other perspective.
July 1, 2014
It reads kind of slow and bland, but the subject matter is highly interesting and important, I think, for anyone to read. Health care affects every one of us, and we should all be aware of the sinister parts just as we are made aware of the successes and rejoice them. So, this is definitely an educational read for anyone, but it isn't the easiest or the most entertaining.
June 23, 2008
Non-fiction account of the thousands of allegedly unnecessary cardiac procedures that were performed up in Redding, CA...my firm represented on of the doctors. Reads like a fictio novel -- highly recommend it.
July 17, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. It is a great reminder why people should question doctors and not treat them like gods. Always get a second opinion. I think I will seek health care from non-profits in the future.
December 8, 2008
This was an amazing story of lives disrupted and Medicare fraud...I couldn't put this one down! This is the true story of the Tenet Healthcare System and patients and families who were affected by their greedy actions.
February 13, 2009
The book was very good...I gave it three stars because the story was upsetting. This was very interesting to me because one of the victims is a close friend of the family. A good book to read but be prepared to be parnoid about medical care.
June 12, 2009
Though an incomplete coverage of allegations and lawsuits against doctors and the hospital in Redding, CA, the incidents in this book are proof of why we need to have second opinions before making serious medical decisions.
July 7, 2011
This is the scariest book I have ever read.
June 20, 2009
Beware those health care providers who have no conscience and who are "in it for the money"!
January 31, 2011
Calling this a "medical thriller" is a bit of a stretch. I did not find it to be thrilling in any way.
August 15, 2013
The writing was a little technical for me (a lot of names, titles, dates, and monetary amounts) but it was terrifying, which is what I think it was going for.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews