"Psych"

“I'm not sure why they are requesting me to do this,” said Dr.Oliveri , the neuropsychologist hired to perform neuropsychiatric testing on me. "They want you to find me incompetent so they finally have a reason to fire me, " I replied.

I had been fighting a battle with the hospital administration to keep my job as a pathologist at the VA medical center St. Louis. More specifically the battle was with the new acting Chief of Staff (ACOS) since mid 2010. The hospital had been struggling with poor performance ratings and a reputation of being the worst VA hospital in the VA system.  Getting rid of as many of the existing physicians as possible and bringing in new staff, the ACOS felt, would change that performance rating and reputation. Unfortunately, whenever a new administration takes over a business, the first people to lose their jobs are the easy targets, the disabled. It was determined that my diagnostic error rate was higher than the other pathologists in the department. True, my rate was higher, however, it was nowhere near incompetent.  Excellent, no, it was a bit better-than-average.

Even still, my anatomic pathology hospital privileges were suspended. My appeal of this action resulted in a peer review panel of three physicians as judges, hearing testimony from hospital administration and coworkers regarding my performance and character.  This tribunal agreed that my error rate was not sufficient grounds to remove me from my position.  However, they did claim my lack of remorse and emotion through the proceedings (advice given me by my attorney) was of concern and a neuropsychiatric evaluation was warranted.  Basically, they said I was a bad person.

The evaluation began At 9:00 am on May 29, 2012.  A series of tests were administered.   The testing began evaluating my mental status by asking me simple questions, such as the date,  time, president, and other common knowledge facts, which I passed with flying colors. A complex drawing looking like a sideways rocket with squares, rectangles, and lines contained within, and complex antenna looking figures attached to its outside, was given me to copy on a blank sheet of paper.  Series of simple numbers were verbally given to me in at 3 second intervals in which I would add the last two numbers spoken to assess my arithmetic and concentration ability.  He said, “3...5.”  I said, “8.”  He said,”7.”  I said, “12.”   He said “2,” I said “9.”  He said “1.” I said “3.”  

Lists of words were spoken.  Then an additional list of words were spoken for me to determine which previous list the word was  in, if at all.  Pictures of faces and incomplete faces exhibiting differing expressions were shown me.  Then, much like the lists of words, I was shown another series of faces and was asked to determine which lists the faces were in, if at all.  As fatiguing as these tasks were,I actually found them somewhat enjoyable, Almost treating it like a game, all be it a very tiresome game.

Over the lunch break, I was able to rest my fatigued brain and strained eyes.  Dr. Olivari entered the room to tell me his “preliminary review of the data obtained thus far suggested I was performing very well."

After lunch,The whole series of tests were repeated, only this time with different numbers, words, and facial expressions.  During this round of facial expression recognition I realized there were only maybe four or five different faces being shown with differing expressions and zoom powers.  I mentioned this and got no response except for a slight upturn of the corner of his mouth.  When asked to recall three unrelated words told me at the beginning of the testing process several hours earlier, I successfully did.  He gave me a blank sheet of paper and asked me to redraw the complex figure I had been shown at the beginning of the testing.  With the exception of a one or two minor details, I did.

At the completion of testing, Dr. Oliveri told me I had performed exceedingly well, much better than he had been led to believe I would perform.  After having been pounded on, hounded, continuously placed under a looking glass and scrutinized, and told repeatedly how incompetent I had been, his words released an immense, 15 minute outpouring of emotion.  This proved nothing was wrong with me.  I actually am an okay person.  I am smart too.  Interestingly, the administration never gave me a copy of the results report.  Fortunately, a copy of the report was emailed me by Dr. Olivari.  The results were never mentioned by hospital administration.