Who was the radio personality of years gone by who had a segment entitled “The Rest of the Story”? His name was Paul Harvey and he loved a good yarn. And Sunday’s incident involving a man who refused to leave an airplane and give up his seat for three transferring United Airlines employees, proves the Harvey Point: Always Wait for the Rest of the Story. There is always more. Always.
United Airlines made some serious errors in its treatment of the passenger, no doubt, but as I sat and watched the incident unfold, I wondered to what extent the passenger also had a responsibility to act responsibly and sensibly. After all, he was offered $800 to exit the plane (by some accounts, it was as high as $1000). Over-bookings happen and notwithstanding Jimmy Kimmel’s pummeling of the airline, the fact is that many ticketed passengers never show up for their flights. The airlines know this and veteran travelers know this. How many times have you bought a ticket only to have something else happen which resulted in a missed flight? Best practice “seat management” almost requires that the airlines plan for this in order to maximize seat revenue. They would be remiss if they did not.
But occasionally even the best of algorithms come up short and a plane is simply booked beyond capacity. We all know this and the reasonable man will simply do the right thing and step-aside. After all, getting United employees to their next stop is crucial for the passengers of the next flight, if not for the safety of all concerned. He could have simply and respectfully move aside.
He did not, and now it turns out that he may have had similar problems in the past (not that United should or could have known this). To wit, this article today from the DailyMail.com, and as you read this, remember that this man is a doctor. A healer. A man in a position of trust.
By Shekhar Bhatia In Louisville, Kentucky, For Dailymail.com
PUBLISHED: 11:06 EDT, 11 April 2017 UPDATED: 13:02 EDT, 11 April 2017
The troubled past of the doctor who was dragged off United Airlines in an incident which has plunged the company into crisis is revealed – including his felony conviction and need for ‘anger management’.
Dr David Dao has past of illicit gay sex with a patient, and tested positive for drugs, official documents reveal. The medic, who specializes in lung disorders, was accused of refusing to give up his seat on Sunday’s United Express flight UA3411 flight from Chicago to Louisville for the airline’s staff.
Cellphone footage of the Vietnamese-born (not Chinese) grandfather’s ejection has caused an uproar with critics claiming officers were heavy-handed in taking the senior from the flight. Dr Dao has not yet sued the airline but it is clear that if he did, the documents would be likely to be used by United in their attempt to defend their actions. The row over its handling deepened on Tuesday as DailyMail.com revealed how United told its staff that the doctor ‘tried to strike law enforcement’. That version of events is not apparently supported by videos taken by other passengers.
The disclosure of what they said to their own staff came after United’s CEO, Oscar Munoz, was accused of being ‘tone-deaf’ for his non-apology to the doctor. United lost $800 million of its value as shared plunged on Wall Street in the wake of the PR disaster.
WHAT THE PSYCHIATRIST FOUND
An official report detailed the findings of medical exams performed on Dr Dao.
Among the findings were:
- Mary Gannon ‘noted that Dr. Dao “lacked the foundation to navigate difficult situations, both interpersonally and in a complex profession”. Dr. Gannon noted a need to control, avoidance, withholding information and magical thinking as problematic.
- The report went on: ‘Dr. Montgomery noted that Dr. Dao appeared to have difficulties with information processing. Neuropsychological screening did not suggest gross difficulties.
- ‘However, in reviewing records, it was noted that Dr. Dao tends to have poor decision-making despite his overall level of ability.
- ‘His choices have resulted in significant consequences over the years yet he continues to function in this manner.
- ‘He is generally not forthright regarding details of events unless challenged and at times he will tell different versions of a story to different interviewers.
Later in the report it found: ‘As far back as April 2002, Dr. Brady notes ” … he would unilaterally choose to do his own thing’.
- ‘This remains a concern to this day and without a high degree of structure and accountability he is at risk for further boundary related practice issues.’
The father of five, who has won sympathy globally over the incident, was given a suspended jail sentence for illegally obtaining and trafficking controlled substances by fraud and deceit.
He was also found to have in engaged in sex with a male patient- Brian Case, who he knew from the church they both attended – and then supplied him with drugs, including Oxycontin, in exchange for sexual favors.
The sexual liaisons, which happened motel rooms, were recorded by undercover agents. He paid $200 in cash each time he met Case.
The secret sex and drugs life of the doctor first came to light in in July 2003 when police alerted the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure of the allegations against him. In October 2003, he was indicted by a Jefferson County Grand Jury for ‘criminal acts of trafficking in a controlled substance, obtaining drugs by fraud and deceit, and unauthorized prescribing, dispensing or administering of controlled substances’. His medical license was suspended later that month.
Dr Dao underwent intense scrutiny and re-training for several years after his convictions. His wife Dr. Theresa Dao, who was with him on the ill-fated flight, has stood by him. She first alerted the medical authorities about her suspicions of her husband’s involvement with a patient.
In 2015, his medical license was partially re-instated with restrictions placed on his access to patients.
The findings were revealed by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure in June last year and stipulated that monitoring had to be continued of the doctor’s behavior.
It was found that Dr. Dao had become sexually involved with a patient who had been referred to his practice, who was known as ‘Patient A’. He was named in criminal court as Case, who was 26 at the time, half the doctor’s age.
The board stated: ‘During the initial evaluation, the licensee performed a complete physical examination, including a genital examination, for Patient A who had been referred for collapsed lungs and chest pain.’
The board’s finding went on: ‘Shortly after his first appointment, the licensee made Patient A his office manager; according to Patient A, he quit that job because of inappropriate remarks made by the licensee.
After he quit, the licensee pursued him aggressively, finally arranging to provide controlled substance prescriptions to him in exchange for sexual acts.
This continued for some time, with Patient A and the licensee meeting at hotel rooms and some of these meetings were recorded. ‘At some point, the licensee began splitting some of the prescriptions with Patient A and gave Patient A money to fill the prescriptions.
Of course, none of this was known to United. But it is known to us now and gives us fresh perspective on the good doctor’s antics, all of which are as deplorable, if not more so, than what United did. There are two morals to this story:
- Whenever airline personnel ask you to do something, do it, quietly and with at most, respectful resistance. Don’t waste law enforcement’s time having to drag you off of an airplane.
- Always wait for the rest of the story. This man was clearly unhinged. Today would be a good day to buy United stock!
As Paul Harvey would say, “Good … DAY!”
