Letter: Hammargren was professional

Friday, Oct. 31, 2003 | 8:56 a.m.

I appreciated Mike O'Callaghan's Tuesday column regarding Dr. Lonnie Hammargren and his comments concerning Roy Horn's condition. In addition to demonstrating personal concern for Mr. Horn's health and praising the excellent medical team at University Medical Center that attended him, Dr. Hammargren also helped to negate a lot of distorted and potentially career-damaging information that had been picked up by various news outlets.

I recall listening to a Fox News broadcast in Los Angeles that erroneously reported that a hemicraniectomy had been performed and that as a result, Mr. Horn's prognosis for recovery was very poor. The report implied that Mr. Horn might never recover sufficiently to perform again.

While I understand the issue of patient rights and confidentiality, I think in this instance Dr. Hammargren acted in a professional manner and performed a positive service by clarifying the procedure and explaining how it would contribute to the patient's recovery.

SHEILA ROBERTS

Editor's note: Sheila Roberts is director of academic personnel at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.