I have never met Dr. Stefan Konasiewicz. He has never been my physician nor treated anyone I know. The recent verdict vindicating his actions, however, compels a reaction to the various articles written about this individual. The stories in the News Tribune have appeared to be nothing less than lynch-mob journalism and I question what service was provided the Duluth community.
The tales, although sad, created a bias so pervasive that the district court judge transferred venue of the trial to a jurisdiction far from Duluth. As a result, the verdict for the plaintiff, Alan Meinershagen of Proctor, was rendered by people living in Washington County, not those living in Northeastern Minnesota.
The articles purportedly connected increased insurance rates with an increase in claims. It also seems equally possible that rate increases were the result of baseless claims or other unrelated factors.
As the old saying goes, "It is not brain surgery." Well, Dr. Konasiewicz performed brain surgery. What was his overall rate of success when compared to his peers? Did he undertake procedures other doctors chose to avoid (maybe because of malpractice concerns) to save patients who were experiencing life-threatening problems?
While these questions were not answered, the real issue, given the time spent on this storyline, is why the News Tribune articles failed to consider these questions.
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The stories of affected individuals also failed to mention the people Dr. Konasiewicz may have helped. He was hired by St. Luke's, which presumably investigated his qualifications and training before giving him access to the community. He currently works at another hospital that presumably did the same investigation of his background. Would successful institutions continue to hire Dr. Konasiewicz if he was unqualified just for the purpose of financial gain?
The News Tribune seems to be interested in tearing down the reputations of local public figures. It is far easier to write negatively, using only pieces of a puzzle. The most recent article even mocked the verdict by suggesting it was based upon attorney opinion instead of a careful consideration of facts.
Dr. Konasiewicz does not deserve special treatment. Readers deserve fair and unbiased reporting of all facts on both sides of an issue. Without that, these articles should have been placed in the editorial section where opinion and conjecture is expected.
Jerome D. Feriancek of Duluth is a partner in the law firm Thibodeau, Johnson & Feriancek.
