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twitterPatient who shot doctor had complained of care
Motive in shooting elusive as investigation continues
Published Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009 | 12:20 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009 | 5:15 p.m.
Dr. Edna Almaden Makabenta
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Doctor Killed In Murder-Suicide
Police say an 80-year-old patient killed his physician Monday morning at a medical office in central Las Vegas Valley.
UPDATED STORY: Family, patients mourn slain doctor
The 80-year-old man who shot a Las Vegas internal medicine doctor to death Monday had filed a complaint against nine local physicians with the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners, its executive director said Tuesday.
The gunman, Eliseo Santos of Las Vegas, filed the complaint Jan. 2 and medical examiners board investigators were deciding how to proceed when the shooting death occurred, Executive Director Louis Ling said.
Dr. Edna Almaden Makabenta, 49, was shot to death in her office at 2215 W. Charleston Blvd. at about 9:26 a.m. Monday. Santos then turned the .45-caliber gun on himself.
"The timing couldn't be worse," Ling said in a phone interview from his Reno office Tuesday. The board is closing the complaint, he said, in light of the deaths of the doctor and patient.
Makabenta was not one of the most discussed physicians in the complaint, Ling said.
The board has turned over records to Metro Police investigators.
"There is nothing in the complaint that showed Santos was angry or hostile," Ling said, adding that there was no indication Santos was planning any violent act.
Santos also was a patient at the West Charleston Pain Center next door at 2525 W. Charleston Blvd. Henfel Baria, whose wife saw Santos as a patient for about eight years, said he went to Makabenta's clinic when an assistant called for help after the shooting. Baria said he saw Makabenta lying in the exam room.
A Clark County Medical Society spokesperson on Tuesday said its members had not expressed alarm after the shooting, although they did call the society's office to inquire about Makabenta.
Authorities are still trying to determine a motive for the shooting. A study published last year indicates chronic pain and distrust of doctors are primary reasons why a patient would want to cause harm.
A study released in May 2008 by David Fishbain and colleagues at the University of Miami revealed that one in 20 patients in physical rehabilitation admitted they felt like killing their doctors.
The study, presented at the American Pain Society's annual meeting last year in Tampa, Fla., surveyed 800 patients and discovered a greater link between pain and disability care cases and the urge to kill, compared to other types of medical cases.
Another Las Vegas doctor was shot by a patient in 2006, although he survived.
On July 24, 2006, a 74-year-old patient opened fire on Dr. Avi Ostrowsky, 55, shooting him in the shoulders and grazing his neck. The patient then took his own life in an examination room of the Mountainview Medical Center as other patients and medical personnel were nearby.
The patient had been coming to him for eight years, complaining of back pain. Ostrowsky is a diabetes specialist and still practices in Las Vegas today.
The patient had concealed a gun and police found a suicide note in his pocket. Ostrowsky still has two bullets lodged in his head and another bullet passed through him, bouncing down the hall.
Discussion: 21 comments so far…
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I do not know what the motive was for this man killing this particular doctor, but I agree that there are too many so-called doctors prcticing in this town that have no business practicing medicine. I had to watch my Mom suffer for 6 months before she died because of the incompetent and negligent healthcare that she received from QUACK doctors in this town, plus foreign nurses that do not know what they are doing! Las Vegas has by far the worst healthcare in this country and none of the politicians are doing anything to find out why and how to get rid of all these QUACK doctors that are practicing medicine when they should not be.
I am extremely angered and disgusted by the comment from LisaB1965. Is she actually implying that this compassionate, caring physician who was so unjustly murdered deserved it?! That is such an ignorant, cruel, heartless statement to make. Just because you had a bad experience with a doctor does not mean all physicians in Vegas are "quacks". In fact, most physicians have dedicated their lives to helping others by providing good and compassionate care. This town has no respect for it's physicians including the very competent, well trained foreign doctors who really care about their patients. If Las Vegas were to "get rid of all these QUACK doctors" as you suggest, we'd really have a healthcare crisis. Why do you think there is a shortage of good primary care doctors as it is? Because the good doctors we have now are providing good medical care to ungrateful people like you who either don't appreciate it or just may decide to kill them for doing their job!
First, thank you to plc5 for your comment above. Medicine is a challenging job; people don't often appreciate that.
Second, one of the most difficult problems, in my opinion, of practicing in LV is taking care of patients with chronic pain.
The sheer number of these patients is staggering. Some have genuine pain, with pathology on testing, others just come in asking for medications. Some get angry if you recommend further testing to evaluate for a treatable cause of their back pain, or knee pain; and deny being addicted to the narcotics that they demand (sometimes quite heatedly).
This event above is truly concerning to me.
I do think that lisaB1965's comment is very cruel and mean at a time like this.
One of the reasons why nurses and medical practitioners leave their practice is lack of appreciation from the people they serve.
And before you say QUACK, please investigate, and you would probably find out that these doctors passed the USMLE (4 very difficult exams altogether) did their residency training for 4-5 years or more, then take more exams to be board certified.
One physician devotes at least 15 to 20 years (after graduating from high school) going through medical school and residency training. Calling one physician QUACK is very unfair, to say the least.
And these foreign nurses- actually went to school and trained 5-6 years before they can graduate then be allowed to take and pass the NCLEX, which is the licensing exam for all RNs, even for the US trained nurses.
My condolences to the family.
Even if Dr. Makabenta was a "quack" (which from what we've learned so far she was a competent, dedicated and caring doctor), does that give someone the right to murder her? To try to justify Mr. Santos's actions is despicable.
A comment isn't cruel compared to physical suffering.
Lisab1965 is stating her experience. That's all.
Dr. Makabenta's murder IS a tragedy.
But what do you call the many, many people infected with HIV/Aids and Hepatitis at the hands of their trusted Medical Practitioners???
Thu, Oct 23, 2008
The Southern Nevada Health District has classified 105 cases of chronic hepatitis C infection as possibly associated with two endoscopy centers in Las Vegas, making it the largest outbreak of the blood-borne illness in the country.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/oct...
What would you call the doctors and nurses of these endoscopy centers if not quacks?
pdamd is right, before you say QUACK, please investigate, and you would probably find out that these doctors passed the USMLE (4 very difficult exams altogether) did their residency training for 4-5 years or more, then take more exams to be board certified.
One physician devotes at least 15 to 20 years (after graduating from high school) going through medical school and residency training. Calling one physician QUACK is very unfair, to say the least.
Nobody's perfect. Everybody makes mistakes.
First off, to LisaB1965... Do you think at all before you post your comment? I actually went to this doctor and knew her sister. I was treated very well there. This is a tragic time for her family and inconsiderate stupid morons like you decide to leave inconsiderate comments like that! Get a clue and keep your rude comments to yourself!
I only hope you read this and realize how foolish you have been.
As someone with a very medically high maintenance husband, I can state from personal experience that Dr. Makabenta was not only the furthest thing from a "Quack" but one of the most caring and personable doctors I have ever been fortunate enough to have crossed lives with. She has always taken incredible care of both my husband and mother-in-law who are mourning her passing as both a person and a professional. They both had kidney transplants and she seemed to know more about their conditions and needs than most kidney specialist ever did. She made it a point to be the most informed doctor possible for her patients. I have been scrambling to try to find someone to continue the care and follow the plan that she had for my husband. I knew it would be hard to find an alternative doctor, I am now realizing, it may be impossible. She could recall his medical history by heart, I don't even know that another doctor could do as well reading from a chart. I will miss being able to call her to express my concerns about my husband's health. She was a constant professional and an exceptional lady. My heart goes out to her family, friends, co-workers and patients. Death is rarely fair and murder is never justified.
"I do not know what the motive was for this man killing this particular doctor..."
He was obviously out of his mind. Anyone who can place so much importance on themselves and their own anger as to take another person's life, is clearly out of their mind. And I mean that quite literally.
Dr.Makabenta was an excellent Doctor. I am new in Nevada from California and found "Healthcare" here in Nevada is far better than California.
Those people who doesn't appreciate the care they get from local practitioners, they should try other states or countries.
I am very sorry for this doctor & her family, no-one deserves to be murdered, especially a caring doctor. However, I do understand lisab's comments to an extent. I have had some medical problems and my problem has been of a hard to diagnose nature, and I have put up with an extreme amount of incompetence & indifference in Las Vegas dealing with the doctors who refuse and/or don't know how to think outside of the box. If it isn't something real easy & standard, they don't know how to deal with it.
Lisa B, myself and my extended family have experienced compassionate and competent health care in Las Vegas since 1960. You have a problem that is yours, not "ours" and your comment appearing on this story is inappropriate, irrelevant and heartless. Find another way to express your dissatisfaction that doesn't involve besmirching the reputation of a dead doctor you don't know.
Patients blame their doctors, always. Ignorance kills and that is what happened here. Lisa B, blame your mother's plight on her "quack" doctor, it is expected of you.
I hope Dr. Makabenta's children don't read the first comment here. Only a mean-spirited person would spew such a diatribe in a blog about a murdered physician.
LisaB1965, why didn't you take your mother to another physician if hers was such a quack? Dr. Makabenta's care provided the best quality of life possible for my husband before he died of metastatic cancer. Shame on you for not taking your mother elsewhere. Were you too busy?
Isn't easy access to guns in the U.S. a contributing factor here? When was the last time something like this happened in countries with sensible gun regulation?
You are so right, mschaffer. The government should ban hand guns.
in 2004 i meet this physician and had plenty of patients. I dont think it is a kind of incompetency as medical practitioner when the medical practice is on high end. Presumably patient has an incurable disease and wants someone to blame with. With these incident is it safe also that physician(s) should have the following either or
a. post sentry security
in 2004 i meet this physician and had plenty of patients. I dont think it is a kind of incompetency as medical practitioner when the medical practice is on high end. Presumably patient has an incurable disease and wants someone to blame with. With these incident is it safe also that physician(s) should have posted sentry security
Dr. Edna Almaden Makabenta is a dear friend from way back in our medical training, I have visited her in Las Vegas on few occasions. I know her to be a competent professional physician and a good natured kind human being. May her soul rest in peace. I'll miss you edna. ed