The long ordeal of Michael Goodyear, a professor of medicine at Dalhousie University, has come to an end. In September, he reached a settlement agreement that would allow his full reinstatement. The terms of the settlement remain confidential.

Goodyear’s difficulties began in 2002 when the chief of medicine for the Capital District Health Authority — Dalhousie’s affiliated teaching hospital — responded to accusations about his clinical practice by suspending his hospital privileges, thereby preventing him from practicing or doing research in his speciality of medical oncology.

CAUT executive director James Turk says Goodyear was denied a timely review of the action taken against him because of a poorly-drafted provincial medical staff disciplinary bylaw.

“Instead of the suspension being reviewed within 20 days, as the bylaw supposedly provided, Goodyear had to wait seven years until the health authority board, following a lengthy hearing, found there was no justification for any of the accusations made against him and recommended that he be restored fully to his status as it was before the accusa­tions were made,” Turk said.

“In the meantime, Goodyear had to declare bankruptcy, had his academic career seriously disrupted, and was unable to continue his research and practice in medical oncology.”

Turk says CAUT is pleased with the outcome, but “to ensure that nothing like this will happen again, CAUT is working with the district medical staff association, the provincial medical association and the Nova Scotia Ministry of Health to develop new regulations that ensure timely and fair procedures in the future.”